§ Order read for Consideration of Lords Amendments.
§ Ordered: "That the Lords Amendments be now considered."
2260§ CLAUSE 3—(Voluntary schemes for the amalgamation of county and county borough police forces).
§ Lords Amendment: In page 3, line 21, leave out "in connection with the constituent forces "and insert" for police purposes."
§ 1.19 p.m.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Oliver)I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
§ Mr. Grimston (Westbury)May we have an explanation of this Amendment?
§ Mr. OliverThis is a drafting Amendment. All that it seeks to do is to remove an obscurity in the Bill with regard to the transfer of property to the forces which are combined by virtue of an amalgamation scheme when that property is in the possession of a constituent force which is one of the constituent forces of a joint force amalgamated under the Defence Regulations. This Amendment makes clear that the property which is used for police purposes by a joint force, whether it be the property exclusively of a constituent force or whether it be joint property, shall be transferred.
§ CLAUSE 5.—(Constitution and powers of combined police authorities.)
§
Lords Amendment: In page 5, line 17, at end, insert:
(2) Provision may be made by an amalgamation scheme for applying, in relation to the constitution and proceedings of the combined police authority and in relation to the officers of that authority, any of the provisions of Parts II to IV of the Local Government Act, 1933, subject to such modifications as may be prescribed by the scheme.
§ Mr. OliverI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This also is a drafting Amendment. It attracts the provisions of Parts II to IV of the Local Government Act, 1933, to a police authority in the regulations which may be made in any of the schemes.
§ CLAUSE II.—(Chief constables.)
§ Lords Amendment: In page 10, line 30, leave out "police" and insert "constituent.''
2261§ Mr. OliverI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This drafting Amendment makes it dear that the first half of the Clause shall relate only to chief constables who are chief constables of a police force merged by virtue of Clause 1 of the Bill. The second part of the Clause makes it clear that the chief constables there referred to are all the other chief constables who may be affected by the Bill.