SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAG-GREEOn behalf of the hon. Member for the City of London, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the fact that numerous Private Bills dealing with the supply of electricity in bulk within the Metropolitan district are now under consideration by a Select Committee of the House of Lords, the Government intend to proceed with their Supply of Electricity Bill; and, if so, when; and whether, in the event of the Government proceeding with that Bill, he will see that the Second Reading is taken in time to allow it to be referred to the same Select Committee to which such, if any, of the Private Bills as come down from the House of Lords are referred.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BONAR LAW, Glasgow, Black-friars)The principal object of the Supply of Electricity Bill is to facilitate procedure by Provisional Order instead of by Bill, and thus to save expense to local authorities and companies who may wish to obtain statutory powers for electric supply. I hope to be able to proceed with the Bill, which was fully considered by a Committee in another place last year, as soon as public business admits. The Bill is a Public Bill and has no special reference to the Metropolitan district. I do not 282 think it would be at all convenient to refer a Public Bill to a Committee charged with the duty of considering the specific proposals of certain Local Bills.