§ Dr. BURGINI beg to move, in page 8, line 13, to leave out paragraph (iii), and to insert:
(iii) prohibiting the undertakers, in a case where an enactment prescribes a basic price in respect of gas supplied by them and a basic rate of dividend payable by them, from paying a dividend in excess of a rate specified in the enactment, or making any payment for the benefit of employés or to a reserve fund, when the price charged by them to any person in respect of gas has equalled or exceeded a price so specified.When this Bill was considered in Committee, there were a number of points which were covered by assurances that the matter would be investigated between Committee and Report. These matters have been investigated, and a number of Amendments stand in my name as a result of agreed changes in the Bill, which are drafting in character and are made to cover more adequately the purpose that was contemplated when the Bill was drafted. The Clause has been redrafted merely because the old Clause did not cover every case. The words that have now been used are apt to cover every case instead of only selected cases. The Clause has been agreed with the National Gas Council.
§ 10.20 p.m.
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESI wonder whether I am right in assuming that the Gas Council is representative both of employers and workmen, because I see a reference to "any payment for the benefit of employés" and naturally we are very keen that employés should not lose anything by the passing of this Bill.
§ Dr. BURGINI can give that assurance at once. This paragraph is asked for by the industry, meaning thereby employers and employés.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ 10.21 p.m.
§ Dr. BURGINI beg to move, in page 8, line 22, at the end, to insert:
(v) requiring the undertakers to charge a different price for gas supplied as respects different areas.
§ This Amendment is made to meet a point which was raised in Committee. In some cases undertakers are required to charge a definite additional price, and it is necessary that they should be released from that requirement when entering into a special contract. Here, again, the matter goes no further than the assurance given in Committee.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Dr. BURGINI beg to move, in page 8, line 24, to leave out from "undertakers" to end of line 26.
In Committee I introduced an entirely new Clause, the Stand-by Supplies Clause, and the omission of these words is consequential on the insertion of that Clause, which is Clause 24, and of my proposed Amendments to that Clause, it now being no longer necessary to mention in Clause 6 the charges made by undertakers in respect of stand-by supplies. This is a purely drafting Amendment.
§ Amendment agreed to.