HC Deb 18 February 1948 vol 447 cc1171-3

Order read for consideration, as amended (in Standing Committee B and in the Standing Committee on Scottish Bills).

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Bill be re-committed to a Committee of the whole House in respect of the following Amendments standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Bevan or of Mr. Secretary Woodburn, that is to say, Clause 6, page 5, line 45, Clause 6, page 6, lines 8 and 11, Clause 7, page 6, line 21, Clause 10, page 7, line 20, Clause 22, page 14, lines 31, 44 and 47, Clause 23, page 15, line 10, Clause 31, page 19, line 44, Clause 54, page 34, line 41, Clause 70, page 41, line 11, Clause 71, page 41, lines 19, 31 34 and 37, Clause 72, page 43, line 33, Clause 74, page 45, lines 30 and 32, Clause 75, page 46, lines 8, 12 and 28, Clause 76, page 46, lines 42, 44 and 46, Clause 76, page 47, line 5, Clause 77, page 47, line 21, Clause 78, page 48, line 47, Clause 79, page 49, lines 14 and 23, Clause 83, page 51, linen 23, 25 and 29, Clause 85, page 53, line 42, Clause 85, page 55, line 10, Clause 91, page 59, line 24, Clause 93, page 60, line 34, Clause 94, page 61, line 46, Clause 94, page 62, lines 37, 41 and 48, Clause 94, page 63, lines 17, 19, 25 and 30, Clause 109, page 73, lines 35 and 38, Clause 109, page 74, lines 1 and 19, Clause 122, page 84, line 21, Clause 124, page 84, line 46, and Clause 137, page 94, line 7 and of the new Clauses (Advertising stations to be separate hereditaments in certain cases), (Assessment of certain buildings occupied in parts), (Hereditaments shown as railway hereditaments, &c., but not in fact occupied by British Transport Commission) and (Provision of entertainments) and of the amendments in Schedule 1, page 95, line 12, Schedule 2, page 97, line 17, Schedule 2, page 98, line 3, Schedule 2, page 100, lines 41 and 51, and Schedule 2, page 101, lines 7 and 28.—[Mr. Aneurin Bevan.]

3.48 p.m.

Mr. Speaker

There are a great number of Amendments to this Motion. I think it would be better if the Amendment in the name of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for the Scottish Universities (Lieut.-Colonel Elliot),—at the end to add: and in respect of the Amendment in Clause 3, page 2, line 28; and in respect of Clause 11; and in respect of the Amendments to Clause 100, page 66, line 39, and Clause 100, page 67, lines 3, 4 and 5; and of the new Clause (Employment of valuers by local authorities) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Elliot."— was moved without: "and in respect of Clause 11," which appears to be quite redundant. There is an Amendment in the name of the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir J. Mellor)—at the end to add: and in respect of Clauses 81 to 105; and of the new Clause (Static portions of electricity undertakings to remain rateable) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Sir John Mellor. I am afraid that I cannot select the first half of that Amendment, but I will select the proposed new Clause: (Static portions of electricity undertakings to remain rateable.)

If it is agreeable to hon. Members, it would be better if the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Scottish Universities formally moved all the Amendments en bloc. I will then put them together instead of putting them separately, and all will be added as an Amendment to the original Motion. I must say here quite frankly that putting these into the Recommittal stage does not affect the right of the Chairman in selection. It does not commit the Chairman in any way. I have no power to interfere with his right of selection. It must not be taken that I am indicating that I think he ought to select these merely because I am putting them into the Recommittal stage. That is his responsibility. I merely put them in for the sake of Order, and leave the matter to him.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot (Scottish Universities)

I beg to move, at the end of the Question, to add: and in respect of the Amendment in Clause 3, page 2, line 28, of Clause 11, of the Amendments to Clause 100, page 66, line 39, and page 67 lines 3, 4 and 5, and of the new Clause (Employment of valuers by local authorities) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Elliot; in respect of the new Clause (War memorials) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Heathcoat Amory; in respect of the Amendment in Clause 3, pay 2, line 40, standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Piratin; in respect of Clauses 81 to 105, and of the new Clause (Static portions of electricity undertakings to remain rateable) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Sir John Mellor; in respect of the new Clauses (Rating of owners instead of occupiers) and (Transfer of road property and liabilities) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Thomas Lewis; in respect of the Amendment in Clause 11, page 7, line 38, standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Turton; in respect of the new Clause (Allowance to sheriff) standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Colonel Wheatley; and in respect of the Amendment to Clause 116, page 80, line 27, standing on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. Pargiter. I understand, Sir, that you consider that an opportunity to debate Clause 11 will arise in any case, as there is an Amendment down to that Clause, and I am willing to move the Amendments en bloc with the omission of Clause 11, trusting that the Chairman will exercise his discretion favourably for my hon. Friend's Amendment when that stage of the Bill is reached. While willing to do so, Sir, I ask for your consideration and that of the Chair at later stages in respect of the extremely complicated procedure into which we are now passing, which is inevitable through this extensive recommittal Motion. I do not deny that the recommittal is in respect of many Amendments which were pressed on the Minister both from our side of the House and from his own side, but, as the House knows, the Bill already has been subject to a certain process of dissection in that it was divided and part taken upstairs in one Committee and part in another. It now comes down united again for the first time, and scarcely is it laid before the House when it is snatched away and recommitted to a Committee. After that we shall have to return again this rather omnium gatherum of considerations to the consideration of the whole House. Although these things arise from the great pressure under which both the House and the Committees are working, I suggest on behalf of the Opposition that pressure of this intensity is not conducive to the best legislation.

Amendment agreed to.

Bill immediately considered in Committee.

[Major MILNER in the Chair]

    cc1173-86
  1. CLAUSE 3.—(Meaning of "standard rateable value.") 3,730 words
    2. cc1189-97
  2. CLAUSE 11.—(Discontinuance of burden payments on changes of boundary.) 5,356 words, 2 divisions
    3. cc1186-7
  3. CLAUSE 6.—(Power to reduce Exchequer grants.) 233 words
    4. cc1187-9
  4. CLAUSE 7.—(Provisions as to Health Service Exchequer Grants.) 677 words
    5. c1189
  5. CLAUSE 10.—(Payments to metropolitan boroughs.) 108 words
    6. cc1197-206
  6. CLAUSE 22.—(Power to reduce Exchequer grants.) 3,085 words
    7. cc1206-7
  7. CLAUSE 23.—(Provisions as to Health Service Exchequer Grants.) 174 words
    8. c1207
  8. CLAUSE 31.—(Supplemental provisions as to Part II.) 57 words
    9. c1207
  9. CLAUSE 54.—(Rates in London.) 69 words
    10. cc1207-8
  10. CLAUSE 70.—(Scope of provisions of Part IV as to gross values.) 262 words
    11. cc1208-9
  11. CLAUSE 71.—(Scope of principle that gross value is to be ascertained by 1938 cost.) 330 words
    12. c1209
  12. CLAUSE 72.—(Meaning of "hypothetical 1938 cost of construction.") 95 words
    13. c1210
  13. CLAUSE 74.—(Post-1918 local authority or housing association dwelling-houses, other than flats and maisonettes.) 172 words
    14. cc1210-1
  14. CLAUSE 75.—(Post-1918 local authority or housing association flats or maisonettes.) 186 words
    15. cc1211-5
  15. CLAUSE 76.—(Other small post-1918 dwelling-houses, except flats and maisonettes.) 1,599 words
    16. c1215
  16. CLAUSE 77.—(Adjustment for adaptations for business purposes.) 125 words
    17. cc1215-6
  17. CLAUSE 78.—(Gross value of other dwelling-houses.) 355 words
    18. cc1216-26
  18. CLAUSE 79.—(Continuation of s. 2 of Rating and Valuation Act, 1928.) 3,887 words
    19. c1226
  19. CLAUSE 83.—(Railway or canal heredita- ments partly used for other purposes.) 87 words
    20. c1227
  20. CLAUSE 85.—(Commencement of provi- sions as to railway or canal hereditaments and transitional provisions.) 125 words
    21. c1227
  21. CLAUSE 91.—(Amount of payments by British Electricity Authority.) 72 words
    22. c1227
  22. CLAUSE 93.—(Adjustments for changes in electricity sales.) 30 words
    23. cc1227-8
  23. CLAUSE 94.—(Amount of payments by Hydro-Electric Board.) 116 words
    24. cc1228-40
  24. CLAUSE 100.—(Temporary grants by county councils to county district councils, parish councils, etc., in certain cases.) 5,322 words, 1 division
    25. cc1241-7
  25. CLAUSE 109.—(Bodies by whom payments by way of allowances are to be made.) 2,594 words
    26. cc1247-52
  26. CLAUSE 116.—(Provisions as to precepts for expenses of Metropolitan Police.) 1,973 words
    27. c1252
  27. CLAUSE 122.—(Amendment of 23 & 24 Geo. 5. c. 51, s. 86.) 73 words
    28. cc1252-3
  28. CLAUSE 124.—(Insurance by local autho- rities against accidents to members.) 150 words
    29. c1253
  29. CLAUSE 137.—(Repeals.) 24 words
    30. cc1253-60
  30. NEW CLAUSE.—(Advertising stations to be separate hereditaments in certain cases.) 2,731 words
    31. cc1260-7
  31. NEW CLAUSE.—(Assessment of certain buildings occupied in parts.) 2,831 words
    32. cc1267-9
  32. NEW CLAUSE.—(Provision of entertainments.) 1,163 words
    33. cc1269-72
  33. NEW CLAUSE.—(Employment of valuers by local authorities.) 1,163 words
    34. cc1272-3
  34. NEW CLAUSE.—(War memorials.) 250 words
    35. cc1273-81
  35. NEW CLAUSE.—(Static portions of electricity undertakings to remain rateable.) 3,269 words, 1 division
    36. cc1281-2
  36. NEW CLAUSE.—(Rating of owners instead of occupiers.) 443 words
    37. cc1282-3
  37. NEW CLAUSE.—(Transfer of road property and liabilities.) 610 words