HC Deb 15 August 1919 vol 119 cc1805-6

This Act shall not apply to Ireland. Lords Amendment:

After the word "to," insert the words "Scotland or."

Sir A. BOSCAWEN

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

Scotland was accidently and in error omitted from the Bill by an Amendment moved in another place. It was never intended by the Government that this should happen, especially after the Amendment I spoke of just now limiting the Bill to yearly tenancies. I wish to put right the mistake which was made elsewhere.

Lieut.-Colonel A. MURRAY

This has been sprung upon us, and I am not quite sure in what respect Scotland is affected by this Bill now. It is important, because the yearly tenancy and the leasehold systems affect Scotland, and perhaps the Secretary for Scotland could inform us exactly in what respect this Bill applies to Scotland, and how it affects Scottish interests?

Sir A. BOSCAWEN

I am sorry my hon. Friend has not had a chance of considering this before. The point is this: When the Bill was in this House at an earlier stage the question arose whether it should apply to Scotland or not. I said I was quite willing, so far as I was concerned, that it should, but the Scottish Office informed me that owing to the fact that the great majority of the tenancies in Scotland were long leases a difficulty might arise if this Bill, cancelling notices given within a year of the sale, was made applicable to these long leases. I therefore put in a caveat that it might be necessary in another place to bring in some limiting words dealing with that point as regards Scotland in particular. I have already done that by accepting the Amendment put in in another place limiting the Bill to yearly tenancies. What I am doing now is, having done that, to make the Bill applicable to Scotland. In the Lords a mistake was made and Scotland was cut out of the Bill. I am proposing now to put Scotland back because the limitation to yearly tenancies removes the difficulty which the Scottish Office and Scottish Members brought to my notice. The sole point we are considering at this stage is, as we have passed the other Amendment, whether the Bill should apply to Scotland or not? As I believe it is the general wish of Scottish Members that it should apply to Scotland I have moved to disagree with the Lords Amendment, which cuts Scotland out of the Bill.

Question put, and agreed to.

Ordered, "That a Committee be appointed to draw up a reason to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing with one of their Amendments to the Bill."'

Committee nominated of Sir Arthur Boscawen, Colonel Greig, Lieut.-Colonel Murray, Major Court hope, and Mr. Grundy.

Three to be the quorum—[Sir A. Boscawen.]

To withdraw immediately.

Reason for disagreeing to one of the Lords Amendments, reported, and agreed' to.

To be communicated to the Lords—[Sir A. Boscawen.]