§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir William Joynson-Hicks)I beg to move,
That it be an Instruction to the Committee on the Bill that they have power to make provision for enabling local authorities to make by-laws for preventing injury being caused by petroleum-filling stations to the amenities of rural scenery and places of beauty and historic interest.I ask the House to allow this instruction to be given to the Committee which is to consider the Petroleum Bill. That Bill makes some few Amendments to the law, and there is a strong feeling that the opportunity should be taken in dealing with this Measure to protect the amenities of the countryside and places of rural beauty and interest. The hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Rye) has a private Member's Bill on this subject, but I understand that as it will not be reached in the ordinary course he proposes to withdraw it. The hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) raised this point on the Second Reading of the
§ Petroleum Bill but the decision of Mr. Speaker was that without an Instruction it would not be competent for the Committee to deal with the matter. I believe the House is fully agreed that it is desirable that local authorities should have some powers in this regard, and the Instruction I am asking the House to give to the Committee is not a power to decide the matter but a power to consider the subject and make such amendments as they think necessary.
§
Ordered,
That it be an Instruction to the Committee on the Bill that they have power to make provision for enabling local authorities to make by-laws for preventing injury being caused by petroleum-filling stations to the amenities of rural scenery and places of beauty and historic interest."—[Sir W. Joynson-Hicks.]
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.