HC Deb 11 November 1926 vol 199 cc1353-4
Sir J. NALL

I beg to move, in page 27, line 32, at the end, to insert the words or of any advisory board, advisory committee, or other body for the district constituted by the original Order. We have already pointed out the undesirability of disturbing what has already been done after lengthy and extensive inquiries, and it may well be that, as time goes on, some changes may be made where authorities have already been set up. There is one Joint Electricity Authority already constituted which might quite possibly at a later date be better replaced by a Joint. Advisory Board, owing to the fact that the Joint Authority has handed over all its functions, and in the same way, where Advisory Committees or something, other than either a Joint Authority or a Joint Board have been set up, if this Clause is to be used at all, it may be necessary to use it in that way. I should have preferred to leave this question of changes out of the Bill altogether, but as the Government propose to put it in, and in some cases to disturb what has been done or what may be done in the near future, it seems desirable to add these words so that the Clause can be made use of.

Sir J. MARRIOTT

I beg to second the Amendment.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

I cannot accept the Amendment, for the simple reason that it practically negatives the whole Clause. In fact, there is only one Order in the whole Kingdom which does not provide for the constitution of either a Joint Electricity Authority or one of these bodies which are referred to in the Amendment, and that is the electrical district of Edinburgh, so that the effect of the Amendment would be to negative the Clause altogether, except in Edinburgh. That is not what we desire, and, therefore, I cannot accept the Amendment.

Amendment negatived.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

I beg to move, in page 27, line 32, at the end, to insert the words Where any such amending order constitutes a joint electricity authority in lieu of an advisory committee or other body constituted under the original order, the amending order shall provide for the application to officers and servants of the advisory committee or other body of the provisions of Section sixteen of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, as amended by any subsequent enactment, subject to the necessary modifications. This Amendment seeks to apply the provisions as to compensation for being deprived of employment to the officers and servants of any Advisory Board which may afterwards be turned into a Joint Authority. As far as we can see, they are not covered at present, as Advisory Boards have not got the status of authorised undertakers. I promised in Committee to consider the point, which was then raised by an hon. Member, and this is the result.

Amendment agreed to.