HC Deb 14 December 1937 vol 330 cc1068-9

Amendment made: In page 12, line 36, after the first "of," insert, "the premises comprised therein, being."—[Captain Crookshank.]

8.0 p.m.

Mr. Wragg

I beg to move, in page 13, line 10, after "colliery," to insert "undertaking."

I move this Amendment on behalf of my hon. Friend the Member for North Leeds (Mr. Peake). It is a very simple Amendment, and I hope the Minister will accept it. It is purely drafting. The effect would be to enable a colliery undertaking that owns several collieries, possibly within an area of a few miles, to bring those collieries together under one lease, provided they belong to a single colliery undertaking. This is a very small Amendment, and I hope it may be accepted.

8.1 p.m.

Captain Crookshank

This is a purely drafting question, and there is nothing between my hon. Friend and myself. What we are trying to define in this Subsection is what is colloquially known as a colliery "take," and I am not at all sure that the word "undertaking" inserted where he wants it put would have the desired effect. What I am sure we both want, and what, I think, the Committee want inserted is "a colliery take" and between now and a later stage we shall probably find some words which will be in agreement with everybody. I suggest not putting this in now as I am not satisfied that it really refers to what either of us wants, as we are both agreed that "colliery take" is what is required.

8.2 p.m.

Mr. George Hall

I think I can see the purpose of the proposed Amendment. It is, that where you have a group of collieries working the same undertaking within a given area, if you are going to extend that area, as there is a possibility of doing under later Clauses of the Bill, the undertaking will be extended to include more than one group of pits. We have this case in point, that where you have two shafts working on different seams, within a radius of about half a mile of this colliery undertaking, you may have two other shafts of another undertaking—another taking of coal. So the difficulty will arise, unless it is safeguarded against, that these two different groups may be regarded as one colliery undertaking under the reorganisation. That is the only point I wish to make, and if that can be safeguarded, so far as I am concerned, personally, there is no objection to the Amendment.

Captain Crookshank

I do not think the Amendment does that, but I will take note of what the hon. Gentleman said. I think he will agree that what we want to get is the colliery "take."

Mr. Hall

Yes.

Mr. Wragg

I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.