§ (1) The Minister of Munitions on behalf of His Majesty may grant licences to search and bore for and get petroleum to such persona and upon such terms and conditions as the Minister of Munitions may think fit:
§ Provided that nothing in this Act shall be construed as conferring on any person any right to enter on or interfere with land for the purpose of searching or boring for or getting petroleum which he does not enjoy apart from this Act,
§ (2) Where a licence is granted under this Section a copy thereof shall be laid before Parliament as soon as may be after the grant thereof.
Mr. D. WHITEI beg to move, in Sub-section (1), after the word "licences," to insert the words "conferring authority."
The first Clause of the Bill says that no person shall bore for petroleum without a licence. If it is a mere licence it might seem to be like making an exception to the prohibition. I desire to make it clear that the licence, in fact, confers authority, and therefore move this Amendment.
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI accept the Amendment.
§ Amendment agreed to.
Mr. WHITEI beg to move, in Subsection (2), to leave out the word "a" ["Where a licence is granted"], and to insert instead thereof the words "any such."
The reason for the distinction is this: The Minister in charge of the Bill remarked on a previous occasion that some licences had already been granted. I want to make it clear that the terms of the licence are to be laid before the House, whether it had been granted before this Bill were passed or afterwards. That is the object of my Amendment.
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI accept that.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Further Amendment made: Leave out the words "under this Section" ["When licence is granted under this Section"].—[Mr. White.]
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill."
1087§ Mr. CURRIEI wish to ask my hon. Friend to clear up a small point. I think he intended in his answer to me about royalties to cover the whole ground but he put his explanation in this way: "We will not pay royalties." I wish to ask him, in the event of a licensee coming to terms with a landlord, the one being willing to pay and the other to receive royalties, will that be allowed, or must it be postponed until after the War altogether?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIt must be postponed until after the War. The point cannot arise. The licensee will never have to make terms with the landlord during the War, because during the War, having power under the Defence of tine Realm Act, we can put the licensee in possession without having to put upon him the duty of making terms with anyone.
§ Clauses 3 (Powers to Inspect Plans of Mines), 4 (Interpretation), 5 (Savings), and 6 (Short Title) ordered to stand part of the Bill.
§ Bill reported; as amended, considered; read the third time, and passed.
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.
§ It being after Half-past Eleven of the clock on Monday evening, Mr. SPEAKER adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
§ Adjourned at Twenty-seven minutes after Twelve o'clock.