HC Deb 09 August 1920 vol 133 cc98-100

(1) If an application is made by a local authority to the Minister of Health asking that a census may be taken for the whole or any part of the area of the authority, or for an area consisting of the whole or any part of that area and of the whole or any part of an adjoining area, the Minister may if he thinks fit submit the application to His Majesty, and His Majesty may by Order in Council, if it appears to His Majesty expedient so to do for the purpose of facilitating the due performance by the local authority of its statutory duties, direct that a census shall be taken for the area specified in the application, or for any part of that area.

(2) The provisions of this Act with respect to the taking of a census for Great Britain (other than the provision with respect to the interval between one census and another) shall, subject to such exceptions, modifications and adaptations as may be specified in the Order, apply to the taking of a census under this Section.

(4) The expression "local authority" in this Section means the council of a county, of a borough, or of an urban district:

Provided that—

  1. (a) in the application of this Section to the Administrative County of London the expression "local authority" means the London County Council and the Common Council of the City of London; and
  2. (b) an application may be made by the council of a county and an order may be made under this Section with respect to the whole of the area of the council, including the areas of any authorities which are local authorities for the purposes of this Section.

Dr. ADDISON

I beg to move, in Subsection (1), to leave out the words "By a local authority" ["If an application is made by a local authority"].

This Amendment and the next one are purely drafting Amendments in order to make the Clause read better, and the last Amendment which I shall move later on this Clause is in order to give a better and precise definition of the term "local authority" so far is this Act is concerned.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In Subsection (1), after the word "health," insert the words "by a local authority to which this Section applies."—[Dr. Addison.]

Dr. ADDISON

I beg to move, in Subsection (4), to leave out (4) The expression 'local authority' in this Section means the council of a county, of a borough, or of an urban district: Provided that— (a) in the application of this Section to the Administrative County of London the expression 'local authority' means the London County Council and the Common Council of the City of London; and, and to insert instead thereof the words, (3) The local authorities to which this Section applies are the Common Council of the City of London, Metropolitan borough councils, the councils of counties, the councils of boroughs, and urban district councils. Provided that, without prejudice to the power of any other authority being a local authority to which this Section applies to make an application under this Section.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I did not quite follow what was said about local authorities in reply to the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. G. Thorne) on a previous Amendment. Is there any limit of time for these local authorities calling for censuses? Can they do it every year?

Dr. ADDISON

I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that they would have to pay their own expenses in connection with a local census, and I do not think it likely they would apply very often.

Mr. JOHNSTONE

If this Amendment be carried, will it shut out my Amendment to Clause 8 proposing to insert the words "or insurance committee"?

The CHAIRMAN

Oh, no; Scotland always has its peculiarities.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.