HC Deb 29 June 1920 vol 131 cc347-8

(2) The minimum permissible pressure shall be such pressure in any main, or any pipe laid between the main and the meter having an internal diameter of two inches and upwards, as to balance a column of water not less than two inches in height except as may be otherwise provided by the Order relating to any undertaking. (3) The Board of Trade shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act cause inquiries to be held into the question whether it is necessary or desirable to prescribe any limitations of the proportion of carbon monoxide which may be supplied in gas used for domestic purposes, and into the question whether it is necessary or desirable to prescribe any limitations of the proportion of incombustible constituents which may be supplied in gas so used, and may, if on any such inquiry it appears desirable, make one or more Special Orders under this Act prescribing the permissible proportion in either case, and any such Special Order may have effect either generally or as regards particular classes of undertakings, and the provisions of the Special Order shall have effect as if they were enacted in this Section.

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

I beg to move, at the end of Sub-section (2), to insert the words "aid different mimima may be specified for different parts of an under-taking, or for gas of different calorific values."

This is one of the Amendments which I am moving to meet the wishes of my right hon. Friend the Member for the City of London.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

I beg to move, after the words last inserted, to add the words: Where any undertakers are, at the time when an order is made with respect to them under this Act, under a statutory obligation to comply with conditions in relation to pressure which are in excess of the provisions as to pressure contained in this section, the order shall make such provisions as appear necessary to the Board of Trade for preserving these conditions, and this Act shall in its application to those undertakers have effect as though such last-mentioned provisions were substituted for the provisions of this section as to pressure. The object of this provision is to preserve to companies statutory right which they have under the Acts, to which this mainly refers, and which are in some respects amended by this Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In Subsection (3) leave out the words "so used".—[Mr. Bridgeman.]