§ Order read for Consideration of Lords Amendments.
§ Ordered: "That the Lords Amendments be now considered."—[Mr. Westwood.]
§ Lords Amendments considered accordingly.
§ Lords Amendment to page 25, line 4, agreed to.
§ CLAUSE 53.—(Provision of -water supply for new buildings and houses.)
§
Lords Amendment: In page 32, line 9, at the end, to insert:
Provided that in the case of a building being a factory within the meaning of the Factories Act, 1937, other than a factory in which the production or the preparation of food or drink for human consumption is carried
157
on by way of trade, where the Secretary of State, after consulting the local water authority, is satisfied that the authority would be unable to provide a sufficient supply of wholesome water in pipes for the purposes a foresaid without endangering their ability to meet existing obligations to supply water for any purpose or probable future requirements to supply water for domestic purposes or without having to incur unreasonable expense, and is satisfied that would not be reasonably practicable to obtain a sufficient supply as aforesaid from any other source, it shall be a sufficient compliance with the requirements of this section if adequate provision is made to the satisfaction of the local authority or the dean of guild court, as the case may be, for the installation in accordance with any regulations which the Secretary of State may make of a sufficient supply of wholesome water in pipes for drinking, cooking and personal ablution and of a sufficient supply of suitable water in pipes for sanitary and other domestic purposes.''
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."—[Mr. Westwood.]on>
§ 9.36 p.m.
§ Mr. Thornton-Kemsley (Aberdeen and Kincardine, Western)During the Committee and Report stage, of this Bill, I put down more than one Amendment designed to ensure that certain trades which use a large amount of water for industrial processes, paper making being the best example, should be allowed in the case of new buildings—which are the only ones with which we are concerned in this Clause 53, which we are now seeking to amend—to use the trade or process water for central heating and for sanitary purposes. The Government are now proposing, in this rather cumbersome 21-line Amendment, to make some concession to the point of view I tried to advance. This Amendment provides that factories which are not producing or preparing food or drink for human consumption may be allowed, provided that the Secretary of State is satisfied that the local authority cannot itself supply water for all purposes without detriment to the other obligations which it has or may have in the future, to use their process or trade water for sanitary or central heating purposes. This is a concession, although I do not suppose that it will help more than a half of one per cent. of the people who want to build factories in Scotland, but in so far as it may help anyone at all, it would be ungracious of me, disappointed as I am, if I were not to express my thanks to the right hon. Gentleman for having moved 158 even so slightly in the direction of the proposals which I made to this House.
§ 9.39 P.m.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Westwood)This Amendment is to implement an undertaking given by the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, when this House was discussing the very point, and its effect is not quite so negligible as has been suggested by the hon. Member. The fact is that the Amendment will have the effect of making an exemption in certain closely defined circumstances. I agree they are closely defined circumstances. The Under-Secretary could not accept the Amendment moved by the hon. Member, because it did not grant the necessary powers to safeguard the health of the people; that is the reason the undertaking was given, and I thought that the other House, in sending this Amendment to us, had really tried to meet the situation, I think very wisely and very well. The Amendment then will have the effect of exempting, in certain closely defined circumstances, new industrial premises from the requirement that all water -used for domestic purposes as defined in Clause 9 of the Bill must be wholesome. It was strongly represented to us that the requirement in the Bill as it stood, was unnecessary and even onerous. It was pointed out to us that if we were to safeguard the position in factories which prepared food or drink for human consumption it would be possible to grant the concession which is now being granted by this Amendment to industrial undertakings, particularly the paper-making industry. The safeguards contained in what is suggested to be a cumbrous Amendment are in the interests of the health and well-being of our people. I trust the House will agree with the Amendment.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendment to page 48, line 37, agreed to.