HC Deb 23 July 1937 vol 326 cc2589-90

As amended, considered.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the Third time."

11.5 a.m.

Mr. Pritt

There is not much that we desire to say with reference to the Third Reading of this Bill. Various questions of principle were discussed at some length in Committee, and we still have feelings of anxiety about the Bill. I think it is not unfair to say that every Minister who has spoken on it has demonstrated with tolerable clarity that no Minister on the Front Bench really knows whether this Bill covers ownership and, if so, to what extent. We can only hope, on behalf of the people of this country, that the Civil Service understand the Bill. But whatever anxieties we feel about the principle we feel quite sure that the general situation is much better with the Bill than without it.

11.6 a.m.

Mr. Gordon Macdonald

The Prime Minister said, when he first gave notice that the Bill would be introduced, that it was to facilitate the carrying out of the major Bill. Some of us had a suspicion that it was intended to delay that major Bill, and I hope the Secretary for Mines will say once again that it is the intention of the Bill to bring about the operation of the major Measure at a very early date.

11.7 a.m.

Mr. James Griffiths

On the Committee stage I raised the point, and the Secretary for Mines gave me an assurance in regard to it, that I hoped that when the major Bill came forward the terms of the register would be such as to enable this House to deal with the thorny problem of way-leaves and rents. The Secretary for Mines gave me an assurance on the Committee stage that wayleaves and rents which are associated with coal would be registered, and we want it to be possible to deal with them when the major Bill comes forward.

11.8 a.m

The Secretary for Mines (Captain Crookshank)

In reply to the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths), in the words that I used the other day in Committee, the Bill covers all these different services if held in association with coal. As regards the other hon. Members, I can only repeat, what the President of the Board of Trade and the Prime Minister have said, that it is our intention to proceed as quickly as may be with the main Measure, and this is an interim proposal in order that registration may be carried forward with that end in view.

Question, "That the Bill be now read the Third time," put, and agreed to.

Bill read the Third time, and passed, with Amendments.