HC Deb 16 November 1920 vol 134 cc1840-1

Proposed Proceeding resumed on Amendment proposed on further Consideration of Bill, as amended (in the Standing Committee).

Question again proposed, "That the words '(13) This Section shall not apply to land belonging to a local authority' be there inserted in the Bill."

Sir A. BOSCAWEN

I cannot accept this Amendment on behalf of the Government. I quite understand that it is moved with a view to protecting local authorities with regard to land for waterworks or something of that sort. Having regard to the position generally, it seems to me that local authorities who have acquired land for any such purpose would be adequately protected. No order could be made upon them which would adversely affect their interests without their having the right to appeal to an arbitrator, and if it was held that any cultivation order would interfere with the powers of the local authority, with regard, for example, to their waterworks, and the arbitrator could not decide that such an order was in the national interests, again, they can appeal on the question whether they, as owners, would not be injuriously affected. Obviously they would be injuriously affected. Therefore, I think that for all purposes in which local authorities require protection they already possess all necessary protection in the terms of the Bill. Apart from that, we cannot make a special exception and give preferential treatment to local authorities over and above the ordinary landlord. There are cases—I will not quote them now—in which local authorities have acquired a large amount of land for perfectly proper public purposes, but in the interval, before they have utilised the land for these purposes, their property has been greatly mis-managed. In these cases they should be liable to receive similar treatment to any ordinary landlord and private owner. For these reasons, therefore, I cannot accept the Amendment, and I do not think the local authorities will be in any way penalised.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Mr. SPEAKER

The next Amendment to Clause 6, standing in the name of the hon. and gallant Member for Grantham (Lieut.-Colonel Royds) is in its wrong place and cannot be taken to-night. It ought to come up as a new Clause.

Sir A. BOSCAWEN

I beg to move, That further consideration of the Bill, as amended, be now adjourned. That brings us to the end of Clause 6, and I do not think we ought, at this hour, to enter on a discussion of Clause 7, which is a very important Clause. Therefore, I beg to move that consideration of the Bill be adjourned until to-morrow.

Bill, as amended (in the Standing Committee) to be further considered Tomorrow.