CLAUSE 9.—(Short title, commencement and repeal.) (Hansard, 5 April 1927)

HC Deb 05 April 1927 vol 204 cc1983-2034 1983

§ Mr. AMERY
I beg to move, in page 5, line 16, to leave out the words "come into force on," and to insert instead thereof the words "be deemed to have had effect as from."
This and the next Amendment on the Order Paper are purely drafting Amendments. The Bill was originally drafted on the supposition that it would pass before the 1st April, and this Amendment is necessary in order to enable the Bill to take effect as from the 1st April.

§ Mr. WHEATLEY
I am very doubtful about giving the Government retrospective power in a Measure such as this. When discussing Clause 2, a question was raised as to the conditions under which the workers will be employed. No reference was made to the question of trade unions. May we have from the right hon. Gentleman an assurance that the employés of this Board will be free to join a trade union? Will they come under the restrictions which it is proposed to impose on British workers?

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN
I do not think that question has any relation to this particular Amendment. It has nothing to do with the constitution of this Board.

§ 8.0 p.m.

§ Mr. WHEATLEY
I wanted to ascertain from His Majesty's Government their views on the question of trade unionism before the date for the Bill coming into operation is postponed. I would not object to giving them powers, if we had an asurance from the Government, that their attitude towards trade unionism would remain as in the past. But there is a rumour that the Government intend to apply other methods in dealing with the workers in the future.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN
This has nothing to do with the date when this Bill comes into operation.

1984

§ Mr. BUCHANAN
I only rise to enter a protest on one point. I cannot be taken as assenting to retrospective legislation. I do not want it to be said against us on these benches that we consented to retrospective legislation, which we have always strenuously opposed.

§ Mr. AMERY
From the point of view of the detailed financial arrangements covered by the earlier Clauses, it will be very much more convenient if the new Board starts at the beginning of the new financial year. This is purely a matter of convenience, in considering what is regarded as the starting point of the new Board, and is not in the ordinary sense retrospective legislation.

§ Amendment agreed to.

§ Mr. AMERY
I beg to move, in page 5, line 23, at the end, to add the words and that until reconstituted in accordance with this Act the Board as constituted at the commencement of this Act shall be the Board for the purposes of this Act. This Amendment is for practically the same purpose as the last.

§ Amendment agreed to.

§ Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

cc1984-5