§ Order for Second Beading read.
§ 8.4 p.m.
§ Mr. SKELTONI beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."
This is a short Bill and it requires only few observations. In Scotland in connection with the valuation of railways, canals, tramways, and a number of other undertakings, there is an office called the Office of the Assessor of Railways and Canals, consisting of one assessor and a staff of six. Its staff, under the provisions of an Act of 1897, used to receive pensions in accordance with the Civil Service superannuation law. That law has subsequently been altered, but as no legislation dealing with the assessor's office has since been passed the staff receive their pensions under the conditions which existed in 1897. This Bill provides that in future their superannuation, pensions and so on shall be governed by the rules for the time being governing Civil Service pensions. Thus their position with regard' to pensions will be brought up to date, and they will in future share any improvements that may be made. For the rest I need only say that the opportunity has been taken to make the title of the official under whom this staff works correspond with the enlargement of his office which has occurred in recent years. Up to now he has been called the Assessor of Railways and Canals. Under Clause 2 he becomes the Assessor of Public Undertakings in Scotland.
§ Mr. MACLEANThere is nothing in the Bill to which anyone can take exception.