HC Deb 29 July 1930 vol 242 cc438-40

Lords Amendment: In page 43, line 17, after the word "if" insert "for."

Mr. GREENWOOD

I beg to move, "That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

Later on, I intend to move, as an alternative Amendment to the Lords Amendment, "In page 43, line 16, to leave out Sub-section (2)." This Subsection has given rise to a good deal more discussion than its importance merits. It was not in the first draft of the Bill and was introduced to meet a difficulty which had been experienced occasionally by the London County Council. As far as I am aware, no complaint had been made by other local authorities, and it was with the desire to meet the particular and special problem of the London area that this Sub-section was inserted. During the passage of the Bill through another place, Amendments were made in the Sub-section including the Lords Amendment now under discussion and also the Lords Amendment standing next on the Paper introducing the word "easement." The purport of these Amendments is not quite clear because as a matter of fact the whole subject of purchasing land and the subject of easements is dealt with in the land Clauses, and provision is made in respect of compensation for easements which are extinguished. This matter has been under consideration by the advisers of the London County Council and ourselves, and the London County Council feel that they would rather have the Subsection out of the Bill altogether than accept the Amendments on the Paper.

Mr. HARRIS

I am sorry that the Minister has climbed down on this very small concession which was intended to expedite the purchase of land so that public authorities should not be handicapped by being forced to buy more land than is necessary in order to carry out an improvement. If ever there was a conservative authority, that authority is the London County Council. It has been dominated for the last 20 years by the Conservative spirit, and such an authority is not likely to show any Socialistic or revolutionary symptoms. The London County Council is animated by a desire to carry out the duties entrusted to it by Parliament, and in doing so this Sub-section would be of great assistance. The right hon. Gentleman is quite right in saying that the Sub-section was inserted on the initiative of the London County Council, and it seems a pity that their friends in another place should have let them down so badly. I think it would have been wiser on the part of the right hon. Gentleman to have stuck to his guns, and to have relieved the London County Council of any excuse for not carrying out their responsibilities.

Lords Amendment: In page 43, line 18, leave out from the second word "or" to the end of the Sub-section and insert is otherwise required for the amenity or convenience of any house' there were substituted the words 'is required for the easement the amenity or convenience of any house whether such amenity or convenience be by way of any park, garden, or pleasure ground'.

Question, "That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.—[Mr. Greenwood.]

Amendment made in lieu of the Lords Amendment last disagreed to: In page 43, line 16, leave out Sub-section (2).—[Mr. Greenwood.]

Subsequent Lords Amendments to page 47 agreed to.