HC Deb 28 June 1921 vol 143 cc2045-7

(1) The Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, make regulations prescribing the conditions subject to which repayments are to be made by the London County Council under Section forty-one of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, to the councils of metropolitan boroughs in respect of any losses incurred by those councils in carrying out schemes to which Section seven of that Act applies"

Lords Amendment:

Leave out Sub-section (1), and insert a new Sub-section: (1) The London County Council shall, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister with the consent of the Treasury, repay to the council of a metropolitan borough any loss which may be incurred by that council in carrying out a scheme to which Section seven of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, applies, and any payments so made by the London County Council shall be deemed to have been made as part of the expenses incurred by them in carrying out a scheme to which that Section applies.

The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Alfred Mond)

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This is a purely drafting Amendment, and I understand it is agreed by the borough councils as meeting their views better than the original Sub-section.

Mr. LORDEN

The borough councils are very much concerned that their powers are being whittled away under this Amendment. The Minister of Health has stated that it is necessary to make regulations to bring them into line with the other councils in the country. The fear of the borough councils is that the London County Council will have a power which was never intended by the Bill, and provided they do not have that power, the borough councils will not be injured in any way, nor their powers taken away.

SCHEDULE.
ENACTMENTS REPEALED.
Session and Chapter Short title. Extent of Repeal.
9 & Geo. 5. c. 35. The Housing, Town Planning &c., Act, 1919. In Sub-sections (3) and (4) of Section twenty-eight the words "at a rate not exceeding five pounds per centum "per annum."

Lords Amendment:

In paragraph beginning "9 & 10 Geo. V, c. 35," after the word "annum," insert the words "and Sub-section (2) of Section forty-one."

Sir A. MOND

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This is consequential on the first Amendment.