§ A TABLE OF THE FEES TO BE CHARGED AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
§ FEES TO BE PAID BY THE OPPONENTS OT A PRIVATE BILL.
§ The CHAIRMAN of WAYS and MEANS (Mr. James Hope)I beg to move, at the end of the paragraph, to insert a new paragraph—
§
"FEES TO BE PAID BY THE APPLICANTS FOR A PROVISIONAL ORDER.
On the Second Heading of a Provisional Order Bill, other than a Bill to confirm an Order under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, the applicants for each Provisional Order included in the Bill shall be charged a fee of £15.
For Proceedings before the Court of Referees or any Committee the same fees shall be charged to applicants and opponents as in the case of Private Bills.
§ The promoters of Private Bills have to pay very substantial fees at every stage of progress of these Bills through Parliament. The minimum amount is £65. But if the promoters of a Bill, instead of coming direct to the House, apply in the first instance for a Provisional Order, and come to the House after obtaining that Order, they pay nothing. The present proposal is that they should pay a fee of £15 on the Second Reading and a small fee of £2 2s. or £3 3s. when they come Before a Committee. We think it just that they should pay, because they use the machinery and accommodation of Parliament and they are entitled to the services of Members of Parliament on these occasions. It is a curious anomaly in connection with these committees that if a Private Bill be opposed the opponents have to pay while the promoters do not. 860 It is estimated that this change will bring in about £1,000 annually to the revenue. It has already been adopted in another place, and I would ask the House to assent to it.
§ Question put, and agreed to.