§ Standing Order 72, page 138, line 22, leave out "again."
§
After Standing Order 72, insert new Standing Order 72A:—(Meeting of members of companies, etc. (not being promoters) in case of certain Bills originating in this House).
(1) Where any Bill originating in this House contains provisions—
any company society association or co-partnership (howsoever constituted) named in the Bill but not being the promoters thereof the Bill shall he referred to the Examiners and Standing Order 71 or Standing Order 72 (as the case may require) shall apply as if such company society association or co-partnership were the promoters of the Bill, and as if in the Standing Order in question for references to the Bill there were substituted references to the said provisions:Provided that failure to comply with the requirements of Standing Order 71 or Standing Order 72 as applied by this Standing Order shall affect only such provisions as aforesaid, and shall not affect any other provisions of the Bill:
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Provided also that this Standing Order shall not apply to any Bill in so far as the provisions thereof relate to a proposal for—
any such company society association or co-partnership as aforesaid, nor shall it apply to provisions in the Bill for the protection of such company society association or co-partnership.(2) In the case of any Bill to which this Standing Order applies the title of the Bill shall contain a reference to the name of every such company society association or co-partnership.
(3) Where any such company society association or co-partnership as aforesaid carry on (whether under statutory authority or otherwise) an undertaking for the supply of water, gas, or electricity the promoters of the Bill shall on or before the eleventh day of December deliver or send by registered post either a printed copy of the Bill or notice in writing of the provisions therof to which this Standing Order applies to the council of each county and the local authority of each city municipal or metropolitan borough or district which comprises the whole or any part of the area within which such company society association or co-partnership supply, or are authorised to supply, water, gas, or electricity. Standing Order 23 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for the purposes of this provision.
(4) Nothing in this Standing Order shall affect the obligations of the Promoters of the Bill under Standing Order 71 or Standing Order 72.
§
Standing Order 73, page 140, line 29, leave out:
or to dissolve the said Company,
and insert:
or authorising or enacting the dissolution of the promoting company.
§
Standing Order 73, page 141, line 2, leave out:
or in which any such powers are conferred on any company not being the promoters of the Bill.
§ Standing Order 73, page 141, line 9, leave out "any such," and insert "the promoting."
§ Standing Order 73, page 143, line 14, leave out "any," and insert "the."
§ Standing Order 74, page 114, line 15, leave out "any," and insert "the Promoters thereof being a."
§ Standing Order 74, page 144, line 27, leave out "any."
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§
Standing Order 74, page 145, line 1, leave out:
or by which any such powers are conferred on any company society association or co-partnership not being the promoters of the Bill.
§ Standing Order 74, page 147, line 10, leave out "any," and insert "the."
§ Standing Order 75, page 147, line 21, leave out "the whole Order."
§
After Standing Order 74, insert new Standing Order 75:—(Meeting of members of companies, etc. (not being promoters) in case of certain Bills originating in House of Lords).
(1) In the case of every Bill brought from the House of Lords in which provisions have been inserted in that House—
any company society association or co-partnership (howsoever constituted) named in the Bill but not being the promoters thereof or in which any such provisions originally contained in the Bill have been materially altered in that House Standing Order 73 or Standing Order 74 (as the case may require) shall apply as if—
Provided that failure to comply with the requirements of Standing Order 73 or Standing Order 74 as applied by this Standing Order shall affect only such provisions of the Bill as aforesaid and shall not affect any other provisions of the Bill:
Provided also that this Standing Order shall not apply to any Bill in so far as the provisions so inserted or altered relate to a proposal for—
nor shall it apply to provisions in the Bill for the protection of such company society association or co-partnership.(2) Nothing in this Standing Order shall affect the obligations of the Promoters of the Bill under Standing Order 73 or Standing Order 74.
§ Hon. Members will recollect that a few months ago I had to make a special report to the House in connection with the South Eastern Gas Corporation Bill. It was an unusual type of Bill not specifically provided for in the Standing Orders. It was introduced by what is generally called a parent company for the purpose of obtaining powers for the subsidiary companies. Standing Orders made no provision for the necessary notices being given to the persons interested in the subsidiary companies, or for certain meetings of those subsidiary companies being held. I then promised the House that I would appoint a small committee to advise upon and to draw up the necessary alterations in the Standing Orders to effect that purpose.
§ The Committee did its work, if I may say so, very well, under the chairmanship of my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Spens). There were two other Members of the House on the Committee, the hon. and gallant Member for South-East Leeds (Major Milner) and the hon. Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams), to whom I personally, and I am sure the House, will be indebted for their work. I should add only that on that Committee was a representative of the Parliamentary agents, and that the Amendments set out on the Order Paper have been approved as satisfactory to the Parliamentary agents.
§ Question put, and agreed to.