HC Deb 24 February 1948 vol 447 cc1905-6

Section thirty-seven (Duty of undertakers to provide a domestic supply for new buildings) of the principal Act is hereby amended as follows:

  1. (a) in proviso (a) to Subsection (1) of the Section for the words "providing and laying the necessary mains" there shall be substituted the words "providing and laying or constructing the mains and any additional plant or other work necessary for the supply of water to the buildings to be erected on the land," and
  2. b) in proviso (b) to the said Subsection (1) for the words "laying and providing the mains" there shall be substituted the words "providing and laying or constructing the said mains and additional plant or other work as aforesaid."— [Mr. Berry.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

10.15 p.m.

Mr. Berry

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

This new Clause is really a clarification of the Bill, and I hope that it will commend itself to my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary and to the Committee, so that I may have 40 per cent. of my Amendments accepted, two having been rejected and one, a new Clause, not called. I would say that it would help water undertakings considerably if this clarification could be agreed.

Mr. J. Edwards

I am very sorry to disappoint my hon. Friend, but I really cannot accept his proposed new Clause. I think that substantially we have already covered the point which my hon. Friend has in mind, by the Amendment which I moved earlier to Clause 10, in page 8, line 33. I must say I am in some difficulty about the meaning of some of the words in the proposed new Clause. I think the words "constructing the mains" do not seem to mean very much in the present context, since the cost of laying and providing mains is covered by the Bill as it stands. The words "additional plant or other work" are very vague. I do not really understand clearly what they are intended to cover. Indeed, the word "plant" is not a term used anywhere in the Bill or in the principal Act. Since I feel we have met most of the points of the proposed new Clause in our Amendment to Clause 10, I hope my hon. Friend will not feel he must press this new Clause, and will count himself well off with 25 per cent. of his Amendments.

Mr. Berry

I would like to feel that my hon. Friend's intentions are rather better than his arithmetic. As he has turned himself into an admirable imitation of a stone wall, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Motion.

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.