§ Lords Amendment: In page 2, line 12, leave out "within", and insert "exerciseable in respect of".
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."—[Sir J. Gilmour.]
1220§ Mr. KIRKWOODI would like some explanation as to what is the meaning of this Amendment.
§ Sir J. GILMOURThis is really a drafting Amendment. It is to make clear that the functions which are transferred are those that are exerciseable in respect of the area, quite irrespective of the situation of the property held for the purpose of the function. Let me give an example. The function of a parish council under the Burial Grounds Act, may be exerciseable in respect of the burgh as well as of the landward area, 1221 if the burial ground were within the burgh. This Amendment makes it clear that the whole functions as regards the burial ground are not transferred, but only so far as exerciseable, as far as the burgh is included therein.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Lords Amendment: In page 2, line 29, leave out paragraph (c).
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis Amendment also raises the question of Privilege.
§ Sir J. GILMOURI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This is a matter of some importance dealing with the position of the library-service in Scotland. It was discussed both in this House and in another place. The original intention of the Bill was that libraries which hitherto have been under the parish council in the country districts should he transferred to the new district councils which are being set up. Since the Bill went through this House the various education authorities, the county authorities and such library authorities as the Carnegie Trust, who are all deeply interested in this problem, represented that it would be more suitable if the libraries were transferred to the county to bring them within and into close touch with the educational service of the county, and to strengthen the possibilities of development. There arose, of course, the question whether there should be included the libraries belonging to the burghs. There were those, of course, who urged that there should be a complete transfer, but in view of the attitude taken by certain of the burghs, who have great pride in their libraries, I thought that while it was perfectly reasonable and fair to transfer the smaller libraries of the country districts to the county, we should in the meantime leave the burghs with their existing libraries in the hope that, as I have said in previous Debates, with fair certainty, working agreements will be come to, so that there will be a combination of purpose and development in this service.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODDoes that mean that our library at Clydebank is perfectly safe and is not to be interfered with, and that our request has been met?
§ Sir J. GILMOURYes, that is so. The library at Clydebank remains with Clyde-bank, but I hope that as time goes on it it may be found that Clydebank, in consultation with the new education committee of the central authority and of the county, may be able to become linked with them. In the meantime it is under its present control.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Mr. SPEAKERA note will be made in the Journals of the House recording that the Amendment was made.
Subsequent Lords Amendments to page 6, line 11, agreed to.