HC Deb 02 July 1935 vol 303 c1813
Mr. SKELTON

I beg to move, in page 58, line 20, at the end, to insert: "and the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts, 1926 and 1931: 'Apparatus' means sewers, drains, culverts, watercourses, mains, pipes, valves, tubes, cables, wires, transformers, and other apparatus laid down or used for or in connection with the carrying, conveying, or supplying to any premises of a supply of water, water for hydraulic power, gas or electricity, and standards and brackets carrying street lamps. These are Amendments of the definition Clause. The first one is to make the Housing (Scotland) Acts, 1919 to 1933, include the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts, which have not hitherto been included in the definition. The purpose of including the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts in this definition is because the Department has power to withhold Exchequer contributions where the local authority fails to discharge any duty or fails to exercise any power which ought to be exercised under these Acts. The matter was discussed fully in Committee and my right hon. Friend then gave an assurance that the Department's powers in relation to these particular Acts would be reinforced, as is now being done.

The Amendment that follows deals with the definition of "apparatus." It is used in Clause 80, a new Clause which was added in Committee, and makes provision in regard to the apparatus of statutory undertakers in land dealt with by local authorities under the Housing (Scotland) Acts. It was not possible to add the definition in Committee after the definition Clause had been passed.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 59, line 5, at the end, insert: 'Public undertakers' means any corporation, company, body, or person carrying on a railway, canal, inland navigation, dock, harbour, tramway, gas, electricity, water, or other public undertaking"; 'Superior' includes the creditor in a ground annual."—[The Lord Advocate.]

Bill, as amended, re-committed to a Committee of the Whole House in respect of the Amendments in Clause 57, page 43, line 10, and Clause 61, page 45, line 29, standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Secretary Sir Godfrey Collins.—[Mr. Skelton.]

Bill considered in Committee.

[Captain BOURNE in the Chair.]