HC Deb 22 December 1919 vol 123 cc1141-4

(1) The Board of Trade, on the representation of the Electricity Commissioners, may by Order authorise any district electricity board or any authorised undertakers to abstract water from any river, stream, canal, inland nagivation or other source, and to do all such acts as may be necessary for the purpose of enabling the district electricity board or authorised undertakers to utilise and return the water so abstracted, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the Order, but the Board shall not in any case make such an Order until notice of their intention to make the Order has been given by advertisement or otherwise as the Board may direct and an opportunity has been given to any person who appears to the Board to be affected of stating any objections be may have thereto, and such Order may provide for the recovery of penalties for infringement of the Order: Provided that— (a) where the source from which the water is to be abstracted is a canal, inland navigation, dock, or harbour regulated by Act of Parliament, or where any existing rights of riparian owners will be affected by the abstraction of the water, the Order authorising the abstraction shall be a special Order, and shall provide that the water not consumed shall, subject to any agreement to the contrary, be returned at a level not lower than that at which it was abstracted; (2) A district electricity board and any local authority, company, or person may, with the consent of the Electricity Commissioners, enter into arrangements for the utilisation, for the purposes of the Board, of water-power, waste heat, or other form of energy which the local authority, company, or person may be able to dispose of, or for the supply by the board of any form of energy other than electricity, and where such an arrangement has been made the district electricity board may be authorised by Order to exercise such powers (including the power to break up roads, railways and tramways) as may be necessary for the purpose of conveying such energy: Provided always that such district electricity board, local authority, company, or person shad in no case have the power to enter into arrangements for the supply by the hoard of any form of energy, other than electricity, in any area or district within which any undertakers may be authorised by Parliament to supply such form of energy unless and until such undertakers consent thereto and then only upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon with such undertakers. (3) A district electricity board may with the consent of the Electricity Commissioners dispose of any generating station, land or other works or property which appears to them to be no longer required for the purposes of their undertaking, subject as respects any land which is subject to any right of pre-emption to that right: Provided that where the generating station contains plant which is the property of the former owners of the generating station, the Electricity Commissioners shall, as a condition of granting their consent to the disposal of the generating station, require such provision to he made by the district electricity board as the Commissioners consider necessary to safeguard the rights of such former owners. (4) The purposes for which a district electricity board may be authorised to acquire compulsorily or use land under Section one of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, shall include the development of water-power for the generation of electricity. (5) A district electricity board may, with the consent of the Electricity Commissioners, erect, maintain, alter, improve, and renew by product plant with all necessary machinery and apparatus, and do all such acts as may he proper for working up and converting the residual products arising directly or indirectly from the generation of electricity: Provided that where it appears to the Electricity Commissioners that the establishment of any such by product plant could properly be undertaken by any existing company, authority, or person, a district electricity board shall not establish such plant without first giving to such company, authority, or person an opportunity of so doing.

Lords Amendments: In Sub-sction (1), leave out the words "district electricity board," and insert instead thereof the words "joint electricity authority"[twice].—Agreed to.

After the word "recovery, "insert the words "in a summary manner"—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (1, a), leave out the word "dock."—Agreed to.

After Sub-section (1, e) insert the words (d) In any Order authorising the abstraction of water from the Manchester Ship Canal there shall be inserted such provisions as the Board of Trade may consider adequate for preventing interference with the navigation of the canal.

—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (2), leave out the words "district electricity board," and insert instead thereof the words joint electricity authority."—Agreed to.

Leave out the word "board" ["purposes of the board, of water-power"], and insert instead thereof the words" joint electricity authority"—Agreed to.

Leave out the word "board "["supply by the board "7, and insert instead thereof the words joint electricity authority"—Agreed to.

Leave out the words "district electricity board, and insert instead thereof the words" joint electricity authority "[twice].—Agreed to.

Leave out the word "board'' ["by the board "], and insert instead thereof the words "joint electricity authority."— Agreed to.

Leave out Sub-section (3).—Agreed to.

In Sub-sections (4) and (5), leave out the words "district electricity board,"and insert instead thereof the words"joint electricity authority."(Three times.)—Agreed to.