HC Deb 29 July 1935 vol 304 cc2420-1
Mr. LEVY

I beg to move, in page 37, line 30, to leave out from "habitation" to the end of the paragraph.

If hon. Members will read paragraph 2 they will find that it imposes a good many irritating restrictions which have little or nothing to do with the Bill. In Committee we asked the Minister to reconsider this matter before the Report stage and with his usual courtesy and his desire to do justice as far as he can within the bound of this Bill, he said that he would accept an Amendment, if it were moved, to eliminate the irritating restrictions while not altering the substance of the Bill. This Amendment has been put down, and I have the gratification of knowing that my right hon. Friend is prepared to accept it. I should like to express to him our thanks for the courtesy which he has shown us.

Mr. TURTON

I beg to second the Amendment.

I should like to point out how ridiculous the words of the Bill are. What the Bill means, as the words stand, is that if I had two families in my house as paying guests, that is allowed under the Bill, but if on each landing I put up a door I have to get leave to have them in.

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I quite agree that the words are a somewhat stringent restriction. They mean that if a house is divided into two it becomes a new building for the purposes of this Act and that is not our real intention. I think the Schedule will be improved without these words.

Amendment agreed to.

9.35 p.m.

Mr. LIDDALL

I beg to move, in page 37, line 33, to leave out paragraph (3).

We object to this paragraph, because if a dwelling-house were turned into a shop and the premises were to revert to a dwelling-house the owner of the premises could not carry out the necessary alteration without first getting sanction from the authority. We respectfully submit that that should not be, and we have reason to believe that the Minister is inclined to agree with us.

Mr. LEVY

I beg to second the Amendment.

It would be not only irritating to landlords but to tenants and would in a number of cases depreciate the value of property throughout the country if this particular paragraph were left in. May I associate myself with the Mover of the Amendment in thanking my right hon. Friend for accepting the Amendment?

9.46 p.m.

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

Paragraph 4 enables the authority to refuse consent for the conversion of any premises into a factory, workshop or place of public resort. That is something that might definitely add to the abuse, but the preceding paragraph is the reverse of it. We do not think it is necessary to retain the words of paragraph 3, which might prove a hardship. Therefore, we are prepared to accept the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

9.47 p.m.

Captain HUDSON

I beg to move, That the Bill be re-committed to a Committee of the Whole House in respect of Amendments to Clauses 14 and 19, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Hore-Belisha.

Bill accordingly considered in Committee.

[Captain BOURNE in the Chair.]