HC Deb 04 August 1947 vol 441 cc1157-9

Lords Amendment: In page 85, line 43, at end, insert: (5) This section shall extend to Scotland, with the substitution for references to the Minister of references to the Secretary of State.

Mr. T. Williams

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

I observe that line 43, Subsection (5), says that: this Section shall extend to Scotland with the substitution for references to the Minister of references to the Secretary of State. So far as I can see, this is a very desirable Amendment which should apply to Scotland. I would like to have a short statement from the Secretary of State for Scotland, or the Parliamentary Secretary, as to how it actually applies to Scotland.

Mr. C. Williams

I think I must support my hon. Friend. I think the Minister might explain these words.

Mr. T. Williams

Perhaps I can ease the hon. Member's mind. This Amendment is to extend the agricultural goods and services scheme to Scotland to cover the period between 31st December, 1947, when the present goods and services schemes under Section 25 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1940, runs out, and the passing of the Scottish Agricultural Bill.

Question put, and agreed to.

SEVENTH SCHEDULE—(Minor and consequential Amendments.)

Lords Amendment: In page 101, line 41, at end, insert: Where the operation of a notice to quit served under Subsection (2) of Section one hundred and forty of the Law of Property Act, 1925, by the owner of a severed part of the reversion depends on any proceedings under Section thirty-one of this Act, the period within which under the proviso to the said Subsection (2) the tenant may accept the notice as a notice to quit the entire holding shall run from the time at which it is determined that the notice has effect instead of from the time at which the notice is served.

Mr. T. Williams

I beg to move,"That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

Mr. C. Williams

This is rather a considerable Amendment. I wonder if the Minister would like to say a word or two in explanation. I am not asking him to change his mind or anything of that sort. I thought he had a brief, and was forgetting to read it out.

Mr. T. Williams

It is very generous of the hon. Member, first, to recognise that there are such things as briefs, and secondly, that there are people who read them out. It is not always a brief job to read out a brief in reply to a request.

A tenant must within a certain number of days decide, if given notice to quit part of his farm, whether he should regard that as notice to quit the whole of his farm. Since under Clause 31 a decision as to consent to the notice to quit may be deferred, it is only reasonable that the number of days in which he is permitted to decide whether the notice to quit refers to the whole or part of his farm should start from the time when he knows his fate under Clause 31, and whether he has to quit or not to quit.

Question put, and agreed to.

Remaining Lords Amendments agreed to [Several with Special Entries].

Committee appointed to draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to certain of their Amendments to the Bill:—Mr. Alpass, Sir T. Dugdale, Mr. Dye, Mr. Hurd and Mr. T. Williams:—Three to be the Quorum—[Mr. T. Williams]—To withdraw immediately.

Reasons for disagreeing to certain of the Lords Amendments reported, and agreed to:—To be communicated to the Lords.