HC Deb 14 March 1919 vol 113 cc1636-7

In the application of this Act to Scotland—

  1. (a) the twenty-eighth day of May shall be substituted for Lady Day and the local authority under the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, shall be substituted for the sanitary authority;
  2. (b) as from the commencement of the extended period the principal Act shall be amended by the insertion in proviso (iv) of Sub-section (1) of Sectionone, after the word "dwelling-house" where first occurring therein, of the words "or where by the law of Scotland owners'rates are chargeable on the landlord of any dwelling-house."

Brought up, and read the first time.

The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a second time."

This Clause applies the Bill to Scotland. The first part of it requires no explanation. It merely translates two new phrases which were imported into the Bill during its progress through Committee. But paragraph (b) perhaps requires a word of explanation. The intention of it is to amend Section 1, Sub-section (1), Proviso IV., of the original Act. The provision in the principal Act as it stands enables the landlord to increase the standard rent by an amount equal to any increase inthe rates. This works quite well in England, where, generally speaking, the rates are chargeable against the occupier, and each extra penny which is put upon the rates almost automatically is added to the rent. The English owner therefore continues to receive practically the same net rent which he received before the War. In Scotland the situation is somewhat different because there the rates are partly levied on the owner, and partly on the occupier. The Clause as it stands in the original Act had this effect, that in Scotland the landlord can only recover that portion of the rate which is leviable on the occupier. In order to put the Scottish landlord in the same position as the English landlord it is necessary to add that the Scottish landlord shall be entitled to recover not only the occupier's share of the rates, but also the share payable by the owner. If that is done then he will be placed in precisely the same position as the English owner, and will be entitled to recover the net amount of his pre-war rent. This Clause effects that result. In moving this Amendment I am giving effect to a specific recommendation made by the Hunter Committee.

Clause accordingly read a second time, and added to the Bill.