§ [References to the Bill are to [Bill 102] as first printed for the Commons]
§ 1 Leave out Clause 5.
§ 2 Clause 7, page 4, line 16, leave out from beginning to ("this") in line 17.
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 1 and 2. Since I introduced this Bill earlier this year, it has passed through all its stages in the other place, where the Government introduced amendments. These amendments were technical or procedural and they do not alter the nature or effect of this legislation.
The first amendment removes Clause 5 from the Bill. That clause sought to exempt the English Industrial Estates Corporation from development land tax. My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his Budget statement that the Government would be abolishing this tax for everyone. The Finance Bill will now repeal the 1976 Development Land Tax Act and therefore Clause 5 of the Industrial Development Bill is superfluous. I did mention this during the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill and I said at that time that the Government would be introducing an amendment to delete Clause 5. This has now been done.
The second amendment is consequential on the first, and it removes a reference to Clause 5 in Clause 7 of the Bill. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House do agree with the Commons in the said amendments.—(Lord Lucas of Chilworth.)
Lord Bruce of DoningtonMy Lords, we on this side of the House thank the noble Lord for his explanation. No words of mine are required in amplification, and we support the amendments.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.