HC Deb 11 November 1926 vol 199 cc1313-4
Sir J. NALL

I beg to move, in page 18, line 32, at the end to insert the words but nothing in this Act shall authorise the Board to exercise the powers conferred on authorised undertakers by Section five of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1922, of giving financial assistance to joint electricity authorities. This Amendment seeks to ensure that funds raised by the Central Board under a guarantee backed by the general taxpayers, or funds accumulated by the Central Board arising out of the revenue which they may derive from various authorised undertakers, shall not be used for the purpose of financing joint authorities who may compete with the undertakers from whom those hinds have been derived. I do not think that was intended when it was originally proposed to give the Central Board the status of an authorised undertaking, and the withholding of this particular power would not in any vital way affect the status of the Board as an authorised undertaker. It would be wholly against public policy if the Board, having accumulated funds from various undertakings up and down the country, advanced those funds to authorities—

Mr. WALLHEAD

On a point of Order. I do not see the hon. Gentleman's name attached to this Amendment.

Mr. SANDEMAN

I beg to move the Amendment formally.

Mr. SPEAKER

An hon. Member can move an Amendment on the Paper.

Sir J. NALL

I am sorry that I did not say that I had been asked to move this Amendment by my hon. Friend whose name appears first on the Paper, and I did not observe that the hon. Member for Middleton (Mr. Sandman) was possibly waiting to move it. I believe this Amendment to be in accord with the public interest; I believe it will preserve the finances of the Board and will prevent its funds being disbursed in directions where there is no need for such expenditure.

Amendment not seconded.

Colonel ASHLEY

I beg to move, in page 18, line 36, at the end, to insert the words (2) Before any such Regulations come into force they shall he laid before each House of Parliament for a period of not less than thirty days on which that House is sitting, and if either House of Parliament, before the expiration of that period, present an Address to His Majesty no further proceedings shall be taken thereon. In moving this Amendment I should like to move to leave out the word "present" and to insert instead thereof the words "agree to." The object of the Amendment is, shortly, to give a safeguard against any extensive modification of the Electricity Act of 1919 by requiring the approval of the House of Parliament to any modification which may be made.

Mr. SPEAKER

I sent a message to say that the form of the Amendment as it appeared on the Paper did not seem to be very well drawn.

Colonel ASHLEY

I will move the Amendment as it is on the Paper. I think it might be improved in another place.

Amendment agreed to.