HC Deb 14 August 1919 vol 119 cc1763-4

(1) Where land included in any scheme made under Part I. or Part II. of the principal Act (other than land included in such a scheme only for the purpose of making the scheme efficient and net on account of the sanitary condition of the premises thereon or of those premises being dangerous or prejudicial to health) is acquired compulsorily, the compensation to be paid for the land, including any premises thereon which are in an in sanitary condition or are dangerous or prejudicial to health as aforesaid, shall be the value at the time when the valuation is made of the land as a site cleared of buildings and available for development in accordance with the building regulations for the time being in force in the district:

Provided that if the scheme requires that provision shall be made for the rehousing of persons of the working classes on the land or part thereof when cleared, or that the land, or part thereof, when cleared shall be laid out as an open space, the compensation payable to all persons interested in any land included in the scheme (other than as aforesaid), including any premises there on which are in an insanitary condition or are dangerous or prejudicial to health as aforesaid, for their respective interests in such land or premises, shall be reduced by an amount ascertained in accordance with the rules set forth in the First Schedule to this Act.

Lords Amendment:

Leave out the words "if the scheme requires that provision shall be made," and insert instead thereof the words "in the opinion of the Board it is necessary that provision should be made by the scheme."

Mr. CLYDE

I beg to move, "That this-House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This again is a matter more of form than anything else. This Amendment again follows an Amendment which was agreed to in the case of the English Bill. The purpose of it is to make it quite clear that the question whether rehousing on the cleared site should or should not be required depends in the last resort upon the Board. Of course it does, but this makes it quite clear. It is also to give statutory effect to the intention that the Government had in proposing the Bill, that persons displaced by a housing scheme should be rehoused on a new site, and that rehousing on a cleared site should never be undertaken unless that be necessary.

Question put, and agreed to.

Lords Amendment:

After Clause 19, insert'—