HL Deb 16 December 1919 vol 38 cc97-111

Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, in making the Motion that the House do go into Committee on this Bill, it is convenient that I should make a short statement to your Lordships in explanation of the Amendments standing in my name on the Paper, which have possibly attracted the attention of those who take an interest in the fortunes of this Bill. I am most anxious to make it plain that when I first introduced this Bill and asked for a Second Reading at a later date I was under a complete illusion as to the numbers in this House who felt doubt about the provisions of the Bill, and who for different reasons desired to take Parliamentary opportunity of criticising and questioning many of its provisions.

When I discovered, as I did at a very early stage, that the number of Peers who felt anxiety about the Bill was considerable, and that they included among them some of those who carry most weight in this House, I had to address myself to the question of what was the prospect of the measure, assuming that it encountered opposition and criticism. In that connection it was obviously necessary that I should most carefully consider the period of the session which we had reached, and the days which were available for the adequate consideration of the terms of a long, complicated, and novel measure, assuming that its clauses were impeached in debate. I, at least, have always been one of those who, while concerned, as all Ministers are, to see that Bills to which the Government attach importance make the most rapid Parliamentary progress that can reasonably be asked for them, at the same time have been most deeply concerned to see that no reasonable request of your Lordships for proper time should be disregarded by the Government.

I had, then, to ask myself this question: Is it reasonable, in relation to a Bill which is unquestionably novel and admittedly complicated, over which the House of Commons spent nineteen days in Committee—is it reasonable that I should press upon the House the desire of the Government that in the few remaining days of an over-crowded session your Lordships should pass the whole of a Bill of this complexity? I had no difficulty in deciding, when my mind was applied to it, that it was not reasonable that this House should be asked at this period of the session to address itself to a task of this kind. I entered then into discussion and negotiations with those who among your Lordships were principally interested in the Bill, and who had made it plain that they were so interested; and having gained a clear idea of the extent and volume of the opposition I made representation to my colleagues in the Cabinet, in which I was supported by the Leader of the House, to whom I had explained the case and my view of the case, and the Government assented to my view that an arrangement should be made which seemed to us reasonable, and which I am glad to say recommended itself to those of your Lordships who had taken part in the earlier debates upon the Bill.

Before I explain the exact nature of that arrangement, in the hope that it may recommend itself as reasonable to the House as a whole, I might perhaps be allowed to say a word in passing as to an extremely imaginative article which appeared in The Times of to-day, and which purported to give an historical description of that which had taken place. The author of that article explained that the Bill was to be wholly re-cast and apparently finally re-cast; that a great deal of it was to be permanently abandoned; that the Treasury, by the aid of the explanations given by noble Lords, had reached a panic-stricken and horror-stricken condition as to the enormous demand which would be made on the Treasury in order that the Bill might be carried out; and that therefore the Government had incontinently and per manently abandoned a great part of it. And the writer in the end called attention to these circumstances in order to illustrate the incompetent manner in which the Government addressed itself to the task of legislation. When I inform your Lordships of the nature of the arrangement made you will see what correspondence with fact there is in this statement.

It was proposed by me, and the arrangement has been assented to, that only one portion or one distinguishable portion of the Bill should be proceeded with by your Lordships in the present session of Parliament, and the Amendments which have been put down by me as the result of consultation with various members of the House may be very briefly described as follows. They cut out from the Bill first all the compulsory powers for the establishment of district electricity boards, and secondly all the compulsory powers for the acquisition of generating stations or main transmission lines whether owned by local authorities or otherwise. In the third place, they cut out all the financial clauses of the Bill except Clause 19, which provides for the erection of emergency power stations and transmission lines. The Bill will now, if my Amendments be accepted, provide for the establishment of the Electricity Commissioners, for the exercise through them of all the present powers and duties of the Board of Trade under the Electric Lighting Acts or the Orders and Regulations made there-under, and the power to conduct experiments provided by Clause 3, and the power to set up Advisory Committees as provided by Clause 4. All the compulsory powers of the Bill are for the moment entirely disappearing.

Let me say a word more upon what will be left, and with which you are invited to allow progress to be made during this session. Commissioners will be set up. True, they will have no compulsory powers, but they will have an opportunity, when the subject is re-introduced in this House in circumstances which I will explain, of examining and exploring the whole situation. They will be given a chance under Clause 9 of lending £20,000,000 in the circumstances which have already been made plain; but as far as all the controversial features of the Bill are concerned they will, before the subject is re-introduced here, have at least an opportunity of discovering whether the result of eight or twelve weeks examination on their part discloses in their view any weakness in the proposals hitherto made.

I will say quite plainly that it is at present the view of the Government that the proposals contained in that part of the Bill which is now being jettisoned are proposals which are greatly needed by the condition of the country, and which would have survived debate and discussion in this House had time allowed that debate and discussion should take place at this stage. The present intention of the Government is to re-introduce early next session, in the form of a new Bill, those parts of this Bill which, if your Lordships accept these proposals, will now be jettisoned. It is anticipated that, having regard to the long examination which the House of Commons has already given to the provisions of this Bill, they will be prepared to deal with them in a comparatively short time, and in those circumstances it is hoped that in the form of a new Bill it may be re-introduced in this House early next session for the consideration of your Lordships, either entirely in its present form or with such modifications as criticisms in this House may have already suggested, or with such modifications as further criticisms, if any, made in the House of Commons may suggest. It is proposed to re-introduce in the form of a new Bill all that part of the Bill which is jettisoned under the arrangement that I now propose.

I have only this to add. The suggestion that the Treasury had intervened on account of alarm at the expenditure which is contemplated by this Bill is totally unfounded. The sum to which I have referred the Treasury had fully assented to when this Bill was first drafted, and the Treasury is still prepared to accept full responsibility for these proposals when the matter is re-introduced. At a moment when controversy is being postponed I do not intend to embark on any discussion or argument on those parts of the Bill which have given rise to that controversy. I would only say that my sole effort here from first to last has been to make an arrangement which would preserve such part of the Bill as can be made immediately operative, so as to ensure that your Lordships should not have the slightest complaint against the Government as trying to involve your Lordships in a precipitate and inadequate examination of the Bill which, every one must admit, deserves the most careful examination at your Lordships' hands.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

My Lords, I desire in a very few words to confirm, so far as I am able to have a say in the matter, the account which the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack has given of what has passed both in your Lordships' House and outside in reference to this Bill. It is perfectly true that the representations which were made to the Government were made on behalf of a number of very influential noble Lords not belonging to any particular Party in the State but sitting in different parts of your Lordships' House. All of them are very great authorities upon the subject, and they were unanimous in their wish that the Government should give your Lordships more time to consider those parts of the Bill which are controversial. I desire to say that we all—I am sure that I am speaking in the name of all, in this respect at any rate—wish to put upon record our obligations to the noble and learned Lord for the great courtesy and consideration with which he has met us in this matter.

NOBLE LORDS

Hear, hear.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

That, may I say, is no new experience in reference to the noble and learned Lord, who has o[...] many occasions shown that deference to your Lordships' wishes which I am sure has done a great deal to smooth the business in this House. The real difficulty, of course, is the difficulty of time. To-day is December 16. The prorogation is to take place upon December 23. The Bill is a very complicated one as it stands, without the Amendment of the noble and learned Lord. The arrangements for dealing with private interests, let alone the big public issues which are involved, are very complicated, and would require very careful consideration. Let us assume that your Lordships agree with the main outlines of these proposals, there would yet be a serious probability that numerous Amendments of a difficult kind would have to go back to another place and have to be discussed, no doubt between the two Houses of Parliament, and it is quite evident that there would have been no time for any such proceeding. Therefore I think the Government were well advi ed in agreeing to pass into law now those parts of the Bill—and they are considerable—upon which there is no difference of opinion in your Lordships' House, and to hold over until an early day next Session those parts upon which there is controversy.

We all, I am quite sure, realise the great importance of this Bill and the necessity for a Bill. We all want to see the Electricity Commissioners created. We all want to see set up a local machinery to supplement the efforts of the Commissioners. Therefore there is a large measure of agreement as between all parties and all sections of opinion in your Lordships' House. I am not going to describe, for it would be quite unnecessary, the noble and learned Lord having already done so, the effect of the Amendments for which he himself is responsible, but it is true that the effect is to maintain the Commissioners and the Joint Electricity authorities, and to place the whole Bill upon a voluntary basis. That is the main outline of the changes. The only matter upon which I am sorry personally—and I believe in this that I speak in the name of others—is that the Government were not able to give way in respect to Clause 19. That clause is the interim clause under which a sum not exceeding £20,000,000 can be devoted by the Commission to the building of generating stations and main transmission lines in all parts of the country.

There are two objects which I think those of us who criticised the Bill had in view. One was the maintenance of private enterprise in electricity supply, and the other was to avoid throwing any greater burdens than are absolutely necessary upon the already over-burdened taxpayers of this country. Those were the two objects that we had in view. The result, of course, of placing the Bill upon a voluntary basis is to maintain, at any rate for the moment, the full privileges of private enterprise. I cannot say that the changes in the Bill will also relieve the public burdens fully, because the Clause 19 remains and involves a sum of £20,000,000. I know that in these days people do not think much of millions, still £20,000,000 is a much larger sum than in the present condition of our finances we ought lightly to embark upon. However, the Government will not give way on that point, and one must be reasonable in these things. They have met us so fully in other respects that we must be content.

As to the future, the noble and learned Lord has suggested, and I think very fairly and properly, that the Government only intend to hold over these jettisoned provisions until next year, and that they will reappear in some form or other. That is quite understood; but we shall have the opportunity in your Lordships' House, and in another place there will be an opportunity, to consider before that new Bill is passed into law the details of the provisions which are now postponed. Experience will teach us much. It may be that some sort of Parliamentary Inquiry should take place before that Bill is finally passed into law. But all those matters remain over until the next Session, and all that can be said now is that in the form in which the Government propose the Bill to your Lordships' House—which I venture most respectfully to hope that your Lordships will accept—it will be practically an agreed Bill, and will, I am quite sure, go a long way towards the beginning of the solution of this very big and formidable problem.

VISCOUNT HALDANE

My Lords, as one who has taken a deep interest in this Bill and has a firm faith in the objects which it seeks to attain, it is with regret that I learn that it is necessary to postpone the passing of those provisions which are required to give effect to its purpose. But I listened with great pleasure to the speech of the noble Marquess, because I think what he said shows recognition of the great purpose which underlies a Bill the object of which is to increase the production of the country in a very marked degree, and also a disposition to subordinate all secondary considerations to the main one, and under the circumstances, as it is only reasonable that the noble Marquess should have time, with those who are working with him, to look closely into the provisions of this Bill, I think that the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack has taken a wise course. For myself I feel that there is a great deal of work for the Electricity Commissioners to do, and I understand from the explanation given by the Lord Chancellor that the Commissioners will be free to set to work at once, so long as they do not resort to compulsory powers. It is eminently desirable that they should have funds at their disposal. The Treasury will take care that they do not draw on that unduly. But it will take them some time to map out the country and to consider the schemes that there are, and if (which I hope) the purpose of the noble and learned Lord is to introduce the new clauses at an early stage of the next session—and it might be convenient if it were in this House as on the last occasion it was in the other House—then the delay may not only prove to be no disadvantage, but it may be even advantageous, as obviously there are some points on these clauses in which further improvement is possible.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

I should have added one point as to the immediate progress of business this afternoon. I will venture to suggest that the convenient course, if it is acceptable to the House as a whole, is that other noble Lords who have Amendments down should be willing, in view of the changed situation, to withdraw them for to-day; that I should move my Amendments and then have the Bill reprinted for the purposes of the Report stage. The fullest opportunity, of course, will be given on the Report stage for all Amendments to be considered which are not considered to-day, and it will be recognised that a special indulgence is due on that occasion because of the course we have adopted to-day.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The EARL of DONOUGHMORE in the Chair.]

THE LORD CHAIRMAN

My Lords, I understand that it is the general wish of the House that the Amendments standing in the name of the Lord Chancellor should be put to-day, and that the others should be postponed.

Amendments moved— Clause 3, page 2, line 25, leave out ("district electricity board or"). Clause 4, page 2, line 34, leave out ("district electricity boards and"). Clause 5, page 3, line 18, leave out ("such") and insert ("the electricity") Page 4, lines 5 to 8, leave out subsection (4). Page 4, lines 12 and 13, leave out ("or a scheme for the constitution of a district electricity board") Page 4, lines 15 to 36 on page 5, leave out subsections (6), (7), (8) and (9). After Clause 5, insert the following new clauses:

Joint Electricity Authorities.

6.—(1) A scheme under the last foregoing section may provide for the establishment and (where desirable) the incorporation with power to hold land without licence in mortmain, of a joint electricity authority representative of authorised undertakers within the electricity district, either with or without the addition of representatives of the council of any county situate wholly or partly within the electricity district, local authorities, large consumers of electricity, and other interests within the electricity district, and, subject as hereinafter in this Act provided, for the exercise by that authority of all or any of the powers of the authorised undertakers within the electricity district, and for the transfer to the authority of the whole or any part of the undertakings of any of those undertakers, upon such terms as may be provided by the scheme, and the scheme may contain any consequential, incidental, and supplemental provisions which appear to be expedient or proper for the purpose of the scheme, including provisions determining the area included in the electricity district:

"Provided that no such scheme shall provide for the transfer to the authority of any part of an undertaking except with the consent of the owners thereof.

"(2) The scheme may provide for enabling the joint electricity authority to delegate, with or without restrictions, to committees of the authority any of the powers or ditties of the authority, and for the payment out of the revenues of the authority of travelling and subsistence expenses of members of the authority, and reasonable compensation for loss of remunerative time."

"Confirmation of schemes.

"7.—(1) The Electricity Commissioners may make an order giving effect to the schemes embodying decisions they arrive at as the result of such inquiry as aforesaid, and present the order for confirmation by the Board of Trade, who may confirm the order either without modification or subject to such modifications as they think fit.

"(2) Any such order shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, but shall not come into operation unless and until it has been approved either with or without modification by a resolution passed by each such House, and when so approved shall have effect as if enacted in this Act.

"(3) An order made under this section may be altered by a subsequent order made, confirmed and approved in like manner as the original order."

Clause 6, page 5, line 38, leave out ("or district electricity board li)

Clause 6, page 5, line 41, leave out ("or board")

Page 6, line 2, leave out from ("to") to ("undertakers") in line 5

Page 6, lines 11 and 12, leave out ("and power companies")

Page 6, line, 13, leave out ("hereinafter") and insert ("in the scheme or in this Act")

Page 6, line 14, leave out ("or board")

Page 6, line 17, leave out ("or a district electricity board")

Page 6, line 19, leave out ("or board")

Page 6, line 26, leave out ("or board").

Clause 7, page 6, line 29, leave out from the beginning of the line to the end of line 18, on page 9

Page, 9, line 19, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 9, line 24, leave out from the beginning of the line to end of the clause.

Clause 8, page 11, line 9, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 9, page 11, line 36, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 12, line 21, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 10, leave out clause 10.

Clause 11, page 12, line 36, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 11, page 12, line 38, leave out ("board") and insert ("authority")

Page 13, lines 9 and 10, leave out ("acquired by the district electricity board") and insert ("transferred to the joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 12, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 24, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 27, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 30, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 32, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 38, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 13, line 41, leave out ("district electricity boards") and insert ("joint electricity authorities")

Page 14, line 2, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 14, line 4, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority"),

Clause 12, page 14, line 10, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 11, after ("the") insert ("local")

Clause 12, page 14, line 12, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 13, after ("the") insert ("local") and leave out from ("district") to the end of line 17.

Clause 12, page 14, line 18, after the second ("the") insert ("local")

Clause 12, page 14, line 22, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 29, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 31, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 35, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 12, page 14, line 37, leave out ("boards") and insert ("joint electricity authorities")

Page 15, line 3, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 15, line 6, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 15, line 10, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 15, lines 16 to 29, leave out subsection (4)

Page 15, line 30, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Page 15, line 35, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 13, page 15, line 37, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 13, page 15, line 41, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 13, page 16, lines 9 to 41, leave out sub-section (2).

Clause 14, leave out clause 14.

Clause 15, page 17, line 20, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 17, line 24, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 17, line 32, after ("recovery") insert ("in a summary manner")

Clause 15, page 17, line 36, leave out ("dock")

Clause 15, page 18, line 21, at end insert the following new paragraph: (d) In any order authorising the abstraction of water from the Manchester Ship Canal there shall be inserted such provisions as the Board of Trade may consider adequate for preventing interference with the navigation of the canal.

Clause 15, page 18, line 22, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 18, line 25, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 18, line 27, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 18, line 29, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 18, line 33, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 18, line 35, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 19, lines 1 to 13, leave out subsection (3)

Clause 15, page 19, line 14, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 19, line 18, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 15, page 19, line 27, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 16, leave out clause 16.

Clause 17, page 20, lines 3 and 4, leave out ("(including the transfer of a generating station and main transmission lines) ")

Clause 17, page 20, line 13, leave out ("thereof") and insert ("of this Act")

Clause 17, page 20, line 24, after ("sick") insert ("or other")

Clause 17, page 20, lines 32 and 33, leave out ("before the said eighth day of May") and insert ("at the date when the scheme comes into operation or the agreement or arrangement is entered into")

Clause 17, page 20, lines 39 and 40, leave out ("(unless otherwise agreed)")

Clause 17, page 21, line 11, after ("powers") insert ("or in any other employment of national importance").

Clause 18, page 21, line 15, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 19, page 21, line 25, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 21, line 27, leave out ("board or")

Clause 19, page 21, line 28, leave out ("board or")

Clause 19, page 21, line 30, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 21, line 34, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 19, page 21, line 38, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 21, line 39, leave out ("they") and insert ("the Electricity Commissioners")

Clause 19, page 22, line 2, after ("district") insert ("as provisionally determined")

Clause 19, page 22, line 33, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 22, line 35, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 22, line 39, leave out ("board or")

Clause 19, page 22, line 40, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 23, line 9, leave out from ("cost") to the end of line 15

Clause 19, page 23, line 13, leave out ("district electricity board or")

Clause 19, page 23, line 23, leave out from the beginning of the line to the end of the clause.

Clause 20, page 23, line 31, leave out ("district electricity board or").

Clause 23, page 25, line 11, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 25, line 17, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 25, line 20, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 25, line 26, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 25, line 30, after ("just") insert ("by order")

Clause 23, page 26, lines 25 and 26, leave out ("and as if the expression canal therein included inland navigation")

Clause 23, page 26, line 33, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 26, line 36, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 27, line 12, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 23, page 27, line 21, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 23, page 27, line 37, after ("course") insert ("the provisions contained in the proviso to subsection (1) of this section shall not apply, and in lieu thereof")

Clause 23, page 27, line 41, after ("railways") insert ("and for that purpose the expression 'railway company' shall mean the owners of the canal or inland navigation")

Clause 23, page 28, lines 9 and 10, leave out ("and as if the expression canal therein included an inland navigation")

Clause 23, page 28, line 21, after ("shall") insert ("without prejudice to any protection given to the authority owning or managing the undertaking by the Electric Lighting Acts and this Act.")

Clause 23, page 28, line 24, leave out ("said Act") and insert ("Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, 1899") and leave out from ("Act") to the end of line 32

Clause 23, page 28, after line 32, insert ("The sections of the Schedule to the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, 1899, by this subsection applied to canals, inland navigations, docks and harbours, and lands or works forming part thereof shall apply thereto as if references in those sections to streets and persons liable to repair streets and canals and canal companies included respectively canals, inland navigations, docks and harbours, and lands and works forming part of a dock or harbour, and the authority owning or managing the same")

Clause 23, page 28, line 37, leave out ("occupiers") and insert ("owners")

Clause 23, page 29, lines 5 and 6, leave out ("and canals") and insert ("canals, docks and harbours")

Clause 23, page 29, line 9, at end insert ("a notice under this section shall be served on the owner or occupier of any land by delivering it to him or by leaving, it or forwarding it by post addressed to him at his usual or last known place of abode, and may be addressed by the description of the owner or occupier the lands (naming them) without further name or description").

Clause 24, page 29, line 10, leave out ("district, electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority" )

Clause 24, page 29, line 14, after ("Act") insert ("or Order").

Clause 25, leave out clause 25.

Clause 28, page 30, line 25, leave out ("a district electricity board or")

Clause 28, page 30, line 31, leave out ("special orders") and insert (such special orders and orders as aforesaid").

Clause 29, page 30, line 38; leave out ("district electricity boards") and insert ("joint electricity authorities").

Clause 30, page 31, line 4, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 30, page 31, line 5, leave out ("board") and insert ("authority")

Clause 30, page 31, line 6, leave out ("board") and insert ("authority")

Clause 30, page 31, line 7, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 30, page 31, line 12, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 30, page 31, line 19, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority").

Clause 31, leave out clause 31.

Clause 32, leave out clause 32.

Clause 33, leave out clause 33.

Clause 34, leave out clause 34.

Clause 35, page 35, lines 7 and 8, leave out ("other than on account of loans under the last preceding section")

Clause 35, page 35, line 12, leave out ("district electricity boards")

Clause 35, page 35, line 16, leave out ("boards")

Clause 35, page 35, line 17, leave out ("district board")

Clause 35, page 35, line 34, leave out from beginning of the line to end of line 36.

Clause 36, page 35, line 38, leave out ("district electricity boards") and insert ("joint electricity authorities")

Clause 36, page 36, line 6, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 37, leave out clause 37.

Clause 38, page 36, line 20, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 39, page 36, line 24, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority)

Clause 39, page 36, line 25, leave out from ("with") to ("purpose") in line 27.

Clause 39, page 36, line 30, leave out ("board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 39, page 36, line 32, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 39, page 37, line 4, leave ouv ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority")

Clause 39, page 37, line 12, leave out ("district electricity board") and insert ("joint electricity authority") and after ("order") insert ("unless it is an order made under section seven of this Act").

Clause 40, leave out clause 40.

Clause 42, page 38, line 24, leave out from ("Act") to end of clause.

Clause 44, page 39, line 36, leave out ("traction purposes") and insert ("the purposes of their undertaking")

Clause 44, page 40, line 6, after ("company") insert ("solely or mainly on the premises or")

Clause 44, page 40, line 25, after ("railway company") insert ("or the owners of a dock undertaking")

Clause 45, leave, out clause 45.

Clause 46, page 41, line 12, leave out from ("(1)")to ("and") in line 14.

Clause 46, page 41, line 17, leave out, from ("Scotland") to end of clause.

Clause 47, page 42, line 12, leave out from ("1888") to end of clause.

Clause 48, page 42, after line 27, insert, as a new subsection (2):

(2) The Electricity Commissioners shall be solely responsible to the Minister of Transport and, under his direction, shall carry into effect the powers and duties conferred upon them by this Act, and the Minister of Transport shall refer to the Electricity Commissioners for their advice all matters connected with the exercise and performance of the powers and duties transferred to him under this section except the appointment of the Commissioners and except where any act of, or order by, the Commissioners is by this Act expressly made subject to the approval of or an appeal to the Minister.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

On Question, Amendments agreed to.

House resumed.