HC Deb 02 April 1894 vol 22 cc1107-8
MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a Private Bill of the London County Council to consolidate and amend the enactments relating to streets and buildings in London; whether he is aware that the Bill proposes to deal with and to repeal certain Public Acts relating to the Metropolis, such as the Metropolitan Building Acts and the Metropolis Management Acts, many of the enactments in those Acts being repealed by the Schedule to the Bill; and whether, in view of the wide extent and far-reaching consequences of the Bill, the Government will consider the advisability of proposing to the House that it should be treated as a Public Bill?

SIR A. ROLLIT

Will the Bill in the ordinary course, like other Municipal Bills, go before the Police and Sanitary Committee?

MR. ASQUITH

I cannot answer that without notice. With reference to the question on the Paper, the matters referred to should have been raised on the Second Reading. The matter is one over which the Home Office have no control.

MR. HOWELL

Have not these matters hitherto been administered under the Home Office? The Bill was read a second time on the Thursday before Good Friday, when no one seemed to know anything about the Bill. Everybody was taken by surprise. I ask the Speaker whether the Bill does not come within the purview of the ruling as to another Bill for the whole of London?

* MR. SPEAKER

Any point of Order should have been raised before the Second Reading, but I am advised that the promoters were perfectly within their rights in bringing the Bill in as a Private Bill. There is no reason why it should not be introduced as a Private Bill. If the Bill raises a question of public policy, that is a question which should have been raised at the proper time, but a question of Order does not now arise.

MR. HOWELL

Has the attention of the Homo Office been called to the character of the Bill?

MR. ASQUITH

Yes, Sir.

MR. HOWELL

I suppose the only thing I can do now is to give notice that on the Third Reading I shall move the rejection of the Bill.

Forward to