HC Deb 30 May 1945 vol 411 cc275-7
Mr. Peake

I beg to move, in page 6, line 14, after "land," insert: and the land consists either of the site of the works or of land contiguous or adjacent thereto which was occupied with the site of the works for the whole or any part of the period after the construction thereof and, in the opinion of the Minister, must be held therewith if the works are to be properly utilised and maintained. This Amendment, although it appears a little complicated, is designed to meet a point about which some of my hon. Friends have been concerned. It relates to the acquisition not of the war works but of land which is contiguous or adjacent thereto. The effect of the Amendment is that it will make the decision of the Commission final in cases where there is a proposal to acquire contiguous or adjacent land, if that contiguous or adjacent land has not been occupied with war works during the war period. It will allay the fear that new areas of land not used with the war works during the war period may be acquired by the Government under their powers of acquiring contiguous or adjacent land, but that the Commission might report against such a proposal and that the Minister might then ask for an affirmative Resolution to over-ride the Commission.

Sir G. Jeffreys

I wish to thank my right hon. Friend for this Amendment. It meets the point of the Amendment which other hon. Members and I put down on an earlier Clause, and I wish to express our thanks.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 6, line 30, after "it," insert: or if the easement or right is proposed to be acquired under Sub-section (2) of Section seven of this Act."—[The Attorney-General.]

Mr. Peake

I beg to move, in page 7, line 17, after "a," insert: building occupied with or a. During the Committee stage some of my hon. Friends expressed fears that the definition of "dwelling houses," to which special protection is given by the Bill, was somewhat narrow and they desired that outbuildings and possibly farm buildings occupied together with a dwelling-house should have the same protection, so that there should not be severance of a dwelling-house from other buildings occupied with it. These words are designed to meet the point which my hon. Friends had in view.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Once again I have to express our thanks to my right hon. Friend for inserting words which meet the point of the Amendment which we had put down. In this case, I think it is an important point because if agricultural buildings which form part of the general homestead of a farm—farm buildings surrounding a farmhouse—were not excluded, there would be a very real gap in this Bill in the protection of agriculture. The words which are now proposed to be inserted, "building occupied with or a" meet the point, and I am obliged to my right hon. Friend for his Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 7, line 25, after "of," insert "a building occupied with or."—[Mr. Peake.]