§ The Solicitor-GeneralI beg to move, in page 47, line 39, after "authority," to insert "to which this Section applies."
This Amendment, and the next two Amendments, are designed to improve the definition in Clause 56. When this Clause was discussed, the question was raised as to whether the definition was aptly worded to include the Metropolitan Water Board. The Metropolitan Water Board is curiously constituted. Its constituent bodies are some 69 local authorities and two other bodies which, are not local authorities—the Thames Conservancy Board and the Lea Conservancy Board. But its precepting powers are confined to certain of the local authorities. That being the structure of the Metropolitan Water Board, it would be questionable whether it fell plumb within the definition of a joint authority which is at present contained in Clause 56. That definition has been reconsidered since the Committee stage. I ask the House to approve this Amendment, with the consequential Amendments following, which are designed to include to Metropolitan Water Board, in addition to those bodies already included in the Clause as it stands.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Further Amendments made.
§
In page 48, leave out lines 5 to 12, and insert:
(3) This Section applies to any joint authority constituted under any enactment which is authorised to require from, and only from, those of its constituent authorities which are local authorities any such sums as are mentioned in Subsection (1) of this Section.
§
(4) In this Section,—
(a) the expression constituent authority,' in relation to a joint authority, means any body corporate which is a member of, or a representative of which is a member of, the joint authority or which appoints a member of the joint authority; and.
§
In page 48, line 17, at the end, insert:
and includes any joint authority constituted under any enactment the constituent authorities of which are all local authorities."—[The Solicitor-General.]