HL Deb 24 July 1922 vol 51 cc755-7

Tribunal for dealing with Individual Cases of Hardship.

The powers and duties of the Tribunal appointed under this Act shall be as follows:—

1. To recommend—

  1. (a) The extension up to a maximum of six months' pay of the disturbance allowance for the purpose of removal which may be granted under the Third Schedule to this Act, in any case, where in the opinion of the Tribunal the amount which has been so granted is inadequate.
    2. 756
  2. (b) In exceptional cases the payment of gratuities, in addition to disturbance allowance, up to a maximum of six months' pay.
  3. (c) Such other exceptional provision as any individual case submitted to it may appear to require.

2. To deal with matters referred to the Tribunal under the Third Schedule to this Act.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

May I ask the noble Viscount not to move his Amendment to omit this Schedule? I do not think the Amendment is in order as the Second Schedule is embodied in the Bill.

VISCOUNT PEEL

I move the Amendment because I am afraid that both the Second and Third Schedules have not been carefully drafted. There is a reference to an officer who has entirely ceased to exist, and they omit from the functions of the tribunal very important functions as regards computation. If you are going to put a number of these administrative duties in the Bill it should have been done fully. To leave out some and put some in will lead to great confusion. Under the unfortunate drafting of these Schedules great confusion will be caused. I am not responsible for that because I moved to omit the particular Amendments. I was defeated by your Lordships. Your Lordships are entirely responsible for what will make sad nonsense of the Bill.

Amendment moved— Leave out the Second Schedule.—(Viscount Peel.)

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

I agree that the drafting of these Schedules will have to be considered, but as you have them in the body of the Bill I do not think you should move them out.

VISCOUXT PEEL

I shall not divide.

LORD CARSON

As I understand there is to be no Division, all I need to do is to protest against the noble Viscount's statement that the Government have no responsibility, when this House passes a Resolution, of seeing that the draftsman puts it in proper form. I think it is the duty of the Government to see that the will of the House is carried out.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

I had not intended to take part in the discussions again, but I think I must make our view perfectly plain. We were prepared, in ordinary Committee of this House, to give any assistance in our power to those who hold the view that the proposals of the Bill wore inadequate, and they would not have found us inattentive to, or impatient of, any Amendments they might have brought forward. The House, by a most unfortunate Resolution, decided that these matters could be better investigated by a Select Committee. I ventured humbly to express my opinion that it was a most unfortunate decision, but the House, nevertheless, persisted in it. They set up this Select Committee, and either myself or my noble friend Viscount Peel would have felt it our duty, though we disapproved of the procedure, to have assisted the Committee had we been invited to do so.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

Will the noble and learned Viscount allow me for a moment? He was not present earlier in the proceedings when I explained that I took responsibility for what occurred. I understood that the Government did not wish to be a party. I know now that that was a mistake; and I expressed my apology.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

I will not say another word about that. We who had given great attention to this Bill, were prepared to consider the matter in all its bearings, but we felt that we had been rather repelled from its consideration.

On Question, Amendment negatived.

Second Schedule agreed to.

Third Schedule.