HC Deb 13 December 1926 vol 200 cc2725-6

Lords Amendment:

In page 20, line 34, at the end, insert Provided that the Electricity Commissioners shall not make and the Minister of Transport shall not confirm any special order authorising the Board to acquire land or a right in or over land compulsorily for the purposes of a main transmission line unless satisfied that the objects sought to be attained cannot consistently with efficiency and economy be attained by the acquisition of a wayleave in accordance with the provisions of Section twenty-two of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919.

Colonel ASHLEY

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

The House is no doubt aware that at the present moment where overhead wires have to be carried over land, a wayleave is obtained in the ordinary way. With these great transmission lines coming into being, it is thought best that the ordinary wayleave procedure should be followed, in order to get access for those lines across the country,, and so this provision was made in another place to ensure that, as far as possible, a way-leave should be obtained, and if that were impossible, then the land should he compulsorily acquired.

Mr. TOWNEND

Is it the intention Of the Amendment to meet cases where the payment for the wayleave is so small that the alternative of acquiring the land would be a burdensome expense in comparison? Is that the argument?

Colonel ASHLEY

That is certainly one reason. The other reason is that we do not want the Board to own a lot of land if it can carry out its duties by securing wayleaves.

Lords Amendment:

In page 21, line 21, at end insert new Clause B:

(Protection of Government observatories, etc.) B.—(1) The Board shall not provide, construct, equip, or alter or use any generating station sub-station, transformer station, building, plant, machinery, electric main, appliance, work or apparatus, or use or permit to be used, transmit, convert, or transform any electrical energy either under this Act or otherwise in such a manner as to affect injuriously in any respect whatever either by vibration or obstruction or smoke or by electric or electro-magnetic action or influence, or by any means any whatsoever whether similar to those enumerated or not any Government observatory or laboratory existing at the passing of this Act or any instrument or apparatus in or adjacent thereto, and used in or in connection therewith.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

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

This Clause has been put in for the protection of existing Government observatories or laboratories. Similar Clauses have been inserted in earlier Acts, for instance, the London Electricity Supply Act, 1908, Section 22. It is the usual Clause to save existing laboratories and observatories from being interfered with by electrical development.

Subsequent Lords Amendment agreed to.