HC Deb 04 August 1899 vol 75 cc1452-65
* THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Mr. J. W. LOWTHER,) Cumberland, Penrith

I have to move a series of Amendments to the Standing Orders of the House, but I hope it will not be expected that I shall make a statement on each, or that a Division shall be taken. I may explain that a great majority of the Amendments are merely drafting Amendments, with the purpose of bringing the Standing Orders of the House of Commons into accordance with those of the House of Lords. A certain number relating to Ireland are made necessary by the Local Government (Ireland) Act, the county council having to be substituted for the grand jury. Other Amendments extend the time for the completion of tramways, it having been found in practice that three years is not long enough for the completion of tramways, when the purchase of land is included in the Bill, especially now that electric traction is so generally adopted. We propose to cut out of the Standing Orders the word "subway" as a term of art. It was originally intended to cover such works as the underground railway, but it has never been used in that sense. The only matter which can in any sense be regarded as an Amendment of substance are two clauses relating to the provision of dwellings for occupiers of the working-class who are displaced. The most important change in this respect is the introduction for the first time of a definition of the word "house." It was thought that now, when so many of the working-classes are housed in big buildings accommodating 100 or 500 people, the term "house" should not cover the whole of such a building. It is proposed, therefore, to define "house" as "a tenement separately occupied by any person or persons." This will, for the present, only apply to London. Words are to be inserted which will enable the Committee to provide against the Standing Orders being evaded in this matter. Cases have recently occurred in which promoters have got round the Standing Orders by not taking all the houses required in one Bill, but spreading their net over several sessions, so that in no session are twenty houses taken. The Amendments on the Paper would enable the Committee to take into consideration the whole scheme, and whether under it more than twenty houses in London or ten houses in other towns are to be taken. There is one Amendment on the Paper which I do not propose to move. It is the 4th on page 16, and it embodies a proposal to make some fresh arrangement with regard to the delivery of notices. But the Post Office have not seen their way to fall in with our proposal, and therefore I do not press it. I hope, however, next session, to be able to simplify matters.

SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derbyshire, Ilkeston)

Has the right hon. Gentleman, with reference to the number of houses in regard to which the provisions as to re-housing the displaced occupiers of the dwellings will be enforced, borne in mind that for every house taken the amount of population disturbed will be much greater in London than elsewhere?

* MR. J. W. LOWTHER

That was so; but for some time the provision in the Standing Orders has referred to twenty houses in London, and ten houses 'elsewhere, and it has not been thought well to make a change in that respect at present.

MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)

Although there is no Standing Order to that effect, may we take it there is an understanding that in future Irish Bills will be initiated in the House of Commons?

* MR. J. W. LOWTHER

That matter is not within the province of the Standing Orders. At the beginning of the session the Chairmen of the two Houses meet and arrange what Bills shall be initiated in each House.

MR. GALLOWAY (Manchester, S. W.)

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman, before next session, consider the desirability of increasing the number of dwellings to be replaced in the larger towns from ten to fifteen?

* MR. J. W. LOWTHER

I shall be glad to consider representations from the larger towns as to the advisability of varying the provision in regard to the number of houses taken. My only anxiety has been not to proceed too quickly. This is a matter on which we should have to consult the Local Government Board.

Standing Order 1 was read and amended:—

In line 39, in the second column, by leaving out the words after the word "subway" to the word "rails," in line 43.

Part II., Heading, in line 1, by leaving out the words "(3 to 68 inclusive)."

In line 8, by leaving out the words from the word "tenant" to the end of line 11, and inserting the words "the term 'London,' except where the City of London is expressly mentioned, means the administrative County of London."

In line 12, by leaving out the word "district," and inserting the words "sanitary authority."

In lines 12 and 13, by leaving out the words "the administrative county of."

In line 13, by leaving out the words from the word "any" to the end of line 15, and inserting the words "sanitary authority for the purposes of The Public Health (London) Act, 1891."

In line 15, by adding at the end thereof the words "the term 'mechanical power' includes steam, electrical, and every other motive power not being animal power.

Other expressions defined in The Interpretation Act, 1889, have the same meanings in these Orders as if these Orders were an Act of Parliament passed after the commencement of that Act."

Standing Order 6 was read and amended, in line 9, by leaving out the words from the word "and" to the word "tramway," in line 11, inclusive, and inserting the words "the motive power to be employed."

Standing Order 6A was read and repealed.

Standing Order 6B was read and amended, in line 3, by leaving out all the words after the word "employed."

Standing Order 10 was read and amended:—

In line 3, by leaving out the words "or subway."

In line 11, after the word "tramway," by inserting the word "or."

In line 48, by leaving out the words "or subway."

Standing Order 20 was read and amended:—

In line 4, by leaving out the words "post in."

In line 5, by leaving out from the word "letter," to the word "appointed," inclusive, in line 6.

Standing Order 22 was read and amended:—

In line 9 by leaving out from the word "authorities," to the words "Schedule A," in line 10, inclusive, and inserting the words "for the purposes."

In line 11, by leaving out the words from the word "of," to the second word "vestry," in line 15, inclusive, and inserting the words "a rural district in England the rural district council shall be deemed to be the local authority."

In line 16, by inserting after the word "be," the words "deemed to be, "and leaving out the words "the Grand Jury of"; and leaving out the words after the word "county," to the word "1860," in line 23, inclusive, and inserting the words "and district councils."

Standing Order 24 was read and amended in line 19, by leaving out the words from the word "mile," to the word "(mile)," in line 22, inclusive.

Standing Order 25 was read and amended in line 3, by leaving out the word "said" and the words "or published."

Standing Order 25A was read and amended:

In lines 1 and 2, by leaving out the words "a published," and inserting the words "an ordinance."

In line 3, by leaving out the words after the word "mile," to the word "obtainable," in line 4, inclusive.

Standing Order 26 was read and amended in lines 11 and 12, by leaving out the words "or published."

Standing Order 26A was read and amended in lines 10 and 11, by leaving out the words "or published."

Standing Order 27 was read and amended:—

In line 1, by leaving out the word "subway."

In line 41, by leaving out the word "said" and the words "or published."

Standing Order 28 was read and amended:—

In line 1, by leaving out the words from the word "situate," to the word "of," in line 2, inclusive, and inserting the word "in."

In line 3, by leaving out the words "within the said county," and inserting the words "in London."

In lines 4 and 5, by leaving out the words "lands within the said county," and inserting the word "London."

Standing Order 29 was read and amended:—

In line 11, by leaving out the words "the administrative county of."

In lines 12 and 13, by leaving out the words "Vestry or District

Board, as the case may be," and inserting the words "sanitary authority."

In line 23, by leaving out from the word "council," to the word "included," in line 31, both inclusive, and inserting the words—

(g) any burgh in Scotland, with the town clerk or clerk to the burgh commissioners, as the case may be;

(h) any parish in Scotland, outside a burgh, with the clerk of the parish council.

In line 32, by leaving out the words "sanitary authority," and inserting the words "or rural district."

In line 33, by leaving out the words "sanitary authority," and inserting the words "district council."

Standing Order 33 was read and amended:—

In line 1, by inserting after the word "copy," the words "shall be deposited."

In line 2, by leaving out the words "shall be deposited."

In line 3, by leaving out the words "printed copy," and inserting the words "of every local Bill relating to Scotland or Ireland at the Office of the Secretary for Scotland or the Irish Office, as the case may be."

In line 4, by leaving out the word "subways."

In line 6, by leaving out the words "shall be deposited."

In lines 6 and 7, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 8, by leaving out the words "shall be deposited."

In line 10, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 12, by leaving out the words "shall be deposited."

In line 13, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In lines 14 and 15, by leaving out the words "and of every Bill."

In line 18, by inserting after the word "Land" the words "or in which provisions are contained re- lating to the labouring class in London; or promoted by municipal and other local authorities, by which it is proposed to create powers relating to police or sanitary regulations which deviate from, or are in extension of, or repugnant to, the General Law."

In line 19, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 21, by leaving out the words from the word "Colonies," to the word "copy," inclusive, in line 23.

In line 25, by leaving out the words "or to which Standing Order 38 applies."

In line 26, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 31, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 34, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 37, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

In line 39, by leaving out the words "a printed copy."

At the end thereof, by adding the words—

Of every local Bill which relates to the drainage of land in England or Wales, or which relates to the improvement of land in England, Wales, or Scotland, or to the erection, improvement, repair, maintenance, or regulation of any market or market place at which cattle are exposed for sale, or to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Board of Agriculture, or which proposes to alter the boundary of any county, urban or rural district, parish, or any other administrative area in the United Kingdom, or whereby power is sought to take any common or commonable land, at the Office of the Board of Agriculture.

Standing Orders 33A and 33B were read, and repealed.

Standing Order 34 was read and amended, in line 2, by leaving out the word "whereby," and inserting the words "which proposes to authorise," and in line 2, by leaving out the words from the word "work" to the second word "of," in line 3, inclusive, and inserting the word "in."

Standing Order 37 was read and amended in line 2, by leaving out the word "Subway."

Standing Order 38 was read and repealed.

Standing Order 45A was read and repealed.

Standing Order 57 was read and amended:—

In line 1, by inserting, after the first word "Bill," the word "or," and by leaving out the words "or Subway Bill."

In line 3, by inserting, after the first word "Company," the word "or," and by leaving out the words "or Subway Company."

In line 4, by inserting, after the word "Railway," the word "or."

In line 5, by leaving out the words "or subway."

In line 12, by inserting, after the first word "Bills," the word "and," and by leaving out the words "and Subway Bills."

Standing Orders 60 and 60A were read and repealed.

Standing Order 63 was read and amended, in line 3, by inserting after the word "or" the word "otherwise," and by leaving out the words from the word "constituted" to the word "Trustees," in line 6, inclusive.

Standing Order 65 was read and amended, in line 4, by inserting after the second word "or" the word "otherwise," and by leaving out the words from the word "constituted" to the word "Trustees," in line 8, inclusive.

Standing Order 67 was read and amended:—

In line 3, by leaving out the words "Grand Jury Cess," and inserting the words "the poor rate."

In line 9, by leaving out the words "grand jury" and inserting the words "county council," and by leaving out the words from the word "present" to the word "or," in line 10, inclusive.

In line 10, by leaving out the word "local."

In line 12, by leaving out the words "at large," and by leaving out the words from the word "more" to the word "Baronies" in line 13, inclusive, and inserting the words. "urban or rural districts."

In line 14, by leaving out the words "presentment sessions," and inserting the words "county council."

In line 15, by leaving out the words "at large," and by leaving out the words "for such barony or baronies," and inserting the words "to the district council for such district," and by leaving out the words in lines 16 to 18, inclusive.

In line 19, by leaving out all the words after the second word "such," to the word "guardians," in line 21, inclusive, and inserting the words "county or district council."

In line 22, by leaving out all the words after the word "such," to the word "guardians," in line 23, inclusive, and inserting the word "council."

In line 26, by inserting after the word "published," the words "or circulating," and after the word "county," the words "or district," and by leaving out from the word "which," to the word "which," in line 27, inclusive.

In line 28, by leaving out the words, from "charge," to the end of the paragraph.

In line 34, by leaving out the words from the second "the," to the word "respectively," in line 36, inclusive, and inserting the word "council."

In line 36, by leaving out the words "presentment or."

In line 37, by leaving out the words "each of the said bodies," and. inserting the words "every council."

In line 39, by leaving out the word "foreman," and by leaving out the words "or other person."

In line 40, by leaving out the words "presentment was made, or such."

Standing Order 76 was read and amended, in line 4, by leaving out the words "to administer," and inserting the word "for," and by leaving out the words "in the Supreme Court of Judicature."

Standing Order 142 was read and amended, in line 5, by leaving out the words "to administer," and inserting the word "for," and by leaving out the words "in the Supreme Court of Judicature."

Standing Order 145 was read and amended, in line 2, by leaving out the words "public carriage," and inserting the word "main," and by leaving out the words from the word "or" to "1845," in line 3, inclusive.

Standing Order 153 was read and amended:—

In line 1, by leaving out the word "No, and inserting the word "A;" and by inserting after the word "shall" the word "not."

In line 3, by leaving out the word "and," and inserting the word "or."

In line 4, by leaving out the words "it shall not be in the power of the company."

In line 8, by leaving out the word "tramway."

In line 8, after the word "or," by inserting the word "tramway."

In line 9, by leaving out the word "subway."

Standing Order 155 was read and amended:—

In lines 2 and 3, by leaving out the words "steam or by any."

In line 4, by leaving out the words "including cable power."

Standing Order 158 was read and amended:—

In line 7 of Paragraph D, by inserting after the word "railway," the words "tramroad or tramway."

In line 8, by leaving out the words from the beginning thereof to the word "years," in line 9.

In line 9, by leaving out from the word "not" to the word "line," inclusive, in line 10.

In line 10, by leaving out from the first word, "years," to the word "year," in line 11.

Standing Order 170A was read and amended, in line 16, by leaving out from the words "period of," inclusive, to the end thereof, and inserting the words "Committee may, if they think fit, in the special circumstances of the case, substitute shorter periods for the periods mentioned in that section."

Standing Order 173 was read and amended, in line 2, by leaving out the words "municipal corporation, municipal commissioners," and inserting the words "urban district council."

Standing Order 183A was read and repealed.

New Standing Order, to follow Standing Order 37. (Deposit of statement relating to labouring class houses.)

Ordered, That where any Bill contains or revives or extends power to take compulsorily or by agreement any land in any local area as defined for the purposes of this Order, and such taking involves or may involve the taking in any local area in London of 20 or more houses, or in any other local area of 10 or more houses occupied either wholly or partially by persons of the labouring class, whether as tenants or lodgers, the promoters shall deposit in the Private Bill Office and at the office of the Central Authority on or before the 31st December a statement of the number, description, and situation of all such houses, and the number (so far as can be ascertained)of persons residing therein, and also a copy of so much of the plan (if any) as relates thereto.

This Order shall not apply where a statement in pursuance of this Order was deposited in respect of this Act, the powers of which are proposed to be revived or extended.

For the purposes of this Order—

The expression "local area"meansߞ

  1. (1) as respects London the City of London, and the district of any 1463 sanitary authority within the meaning of The Public Health (London) Act, 1891;
  2. (2) as respects England and Wales (outside London), any borough, or other urban district, and elsewhere, any parish;
  3. (3) as respects Scotland, any district within the meaning of The Public Health (Scotland)Act, 1897; and
  4. (4) as respects Ireland, any urban district;

The expression "house" means any tenement separately occupied by any person or persons;

The expression "labouring class" means mechanics, artisans, labourers, and others working for wages, hawkers, costermongers, persons not working for wages but working at some trade or handicraft without employing others except members of their own family, and persons, other than domestic servants, whose income does not exceed an average of thirty shillings a week, and the families of any of such persons who may be residing with them;

The expression "Central Authority" means as regards London the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and as regards England and Wales (outside London) the Local Government Board, as regards Scotland the Secretary for Scotland, and as regards Ireland the Local Government Board for Ireland;

The expression "Bill" includes a Bill confirming a Provisional Order.

New Standing Order, to follow Standing Order 59 (Deposit Bills brought from House of Lords):—

Ordered, That a copy of every Local Bill brought from the House of Lords shall, not later than two days after the Bill is read a first time, be deposited at every Office at which it was deposited under Orders 33, 33A, and 38, or would be required to be deposited under those Orders, if it had been originally introduced as brought from the House of Lords.

New Standing Order, to follow Standing Order 183 (Provisions with respect to houses occupied by labouring class):—

Ordered, That, in the case of every Bill which gives, revives, or extends power to take land compulsorily or by agreement, clauses shall be inserted—

  1. (1) Providing that the promoters, shall not in the exercise of such power purchase or acquire in any local area in London twenty or more houses, or, in any other local area, ten or more houses, occupied either wholly or partially by persons belonging to the labouring class, as tenants or lodgers, unless and until
    1. (a) They shall have obtained the approval of the central authority to a scheme for providing new dwellings for the persons residing in such houses, or for such number or proportion of such persons as the central authority shall, after enquiry, deem necessary, having regard to the number of persons residing in the houses liable to be taken and working within one mile there from, and to the amount of vacant suitable accommodation in the immediate neighbourhood of the houses liable to be taken, or to the place of employment of such persons, and all the other circumstances of the case; and
    2. (b) They shall have given security to the satisfaction of the central authority for the carrying out of the scheme.
    3. (2) Imposing adequate penalties on the promoters in the event of houses being acquired or appropriated for the purposes of the Bill in contravention of the foregoing provisions;
    4. (3) Providing that the expenses or any part of the expenses incurred by the central authority under this Order shall be defrayed by the promoters of the Bill, or out of moneys to be raised under the Bill; and
    5. (4) Conferring on the promoters, and on the central authority respectively any powers that may 1465 be necessary to enable full effect to be given to the said scheme.

The Committee may provide that any house purchased or acquired by the promoters in any local area in London for or in connection with any of the purposes of the Bill, whether purchased or acquired in the exercise of the powers of the Bill or otherwise, and whether before or after the passing of the Bill, shall be deemed, for the purposes of the clauses so to be inserted, to have been purchased or acquired in exercise of the powers of the Bill.

Expressions defined in Order 38 have the same meanings in this Order.

Ordered, That the said Standing Orders be Standing Orders of this House.—(The Chairman of Ways and Means.)