HC Deb 17 November 1927 vol 210 cc1209-11
Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

I beg to move, in page 16, line 29, at the end, to insert the words and the fees payable on application for registration and for licences shall not exceed those specified in the Second Schedule to this Act. This carries out a pledge I gave that I would put in the proposed scale into the Act. The intention is that the Act should be self-supporting and, as far as we can see at present, there is no reason why the fees which will be set out in the Second Schedule should not be adequate. It is with the idea of making the Act self-supporting that I propose this Amendment and the consequential Schedule.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for bringing the Act into consonance with the best Treasury traditions. Perhaps he will tell us what he estimates these fees will bring in in one year. I want to know in order to be able to explain to the country what the Act is costing it. These fees will ultimately come out of the pockets of the people who go to the pictures.

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

I gave an estimate in Committee. Speaking from memory, it is from £4,000 to £5,000 a year.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

Is that all the right hon. Gentleman expects to raise from a fee of a guinea?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

It is all I expect to raise.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

If he gets more may we anticipate that the licence fees will be reduced?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

That would not be unreasonable in view of the provision I have already inserted that the fees shall be adjusted if necessary.

Amendment agreed to.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

I beg to move, in page 16, line 33, at the end, to insert the words: (4) Regulations made under this Section shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as may be after they are made, and if either House within twenty-one days after the Regulations have been laid before it presents an Address to His Majesty praying that the Regulations may be annulled, His Majesty may by Order in Council annul the Regulations and they shall henceforth be void, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done there under or to the making of fresh Regulations. I move this Amendment in order that there may be some check on the Rules and Regulations made under the Act.

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

I think it would be waste of time to accept the Amendment. These are purely routine Regulations the character and scope of which is strictly laid down in the Bill. All they do is to carry out the executive action which is prescribed by the Bill itself. It is unnecessary to come to the House with every Regulation of the kind and to await the consent of the House and at a late hour in the evening have a Debate on a small variation in a Regulation. If at any time it is desired to challenge the administration of the Board of Trade the proper occasion is on the Vote for the salary of the President of the Board of Trade.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

The right hon. Gentleman may call it a matter of minor importance but a great many people in the House think it of considerable importance that films should be British films, and the Regulations which will be required in order to provide that 75 per cent. of the money spent on salaries has been spent on British subjects, Regulations dealing with the question where the studio scenes are taken, the Regulation connected with the salaries of the artists ought to be laid on the Table of the House, in order to give some sort of security that the Department itself is not driving a coach and four through the provisions of the Bill. I do not propose to divide the House. I propose merely to indicate that we are again leaving the whole administration entirely to the right hon Gentleman.

Amendment negatived.