HC Deb 12 May 1949 vol 464 cc1975-6

Considered in Committee.

[Mr. BOWLES in the Chair]

The Chairman of Ways and Means (Major Milner)

I beg to move, That for the purposes of any Act of the present Session providing for the vesting in the Secretary of State for the War Department of part of Ashdown Forest, the acquisition of lands in substitution for such lands and the use of the said Forest for the purposes of military training, it is expedient to authorise the payment, out of moneys provided by Parliament, of such sums as may be necessary to defray the expenses incurred by the Secretary of State for the War Department in repaying to the Conservators of the said Forest the costs, charges and expenses incurred by them in or in connection with the purchase and acquisition, and transfer and conveyance of the lands so to be substituted and in or in connection with the promotion of the Bill for the said Act, and in paying compensation for damage, injury or loss arising out of the use of the said Forest for the purposes of military training and any expenses incurred in making good any such damage or injury or otherwise incurred under the said Act. In moving this Motion, it may perhaps be proper and of assistance to the Committee if I say a word or two as to the purpose of this procedure and of the Motion which is a relatively rare occurrence in respect of Private Bills.

The Ashdown Forest Bill is a private Bill promoted by the forest conservators as a result of agreement with the Secre- tary of State for War. The Bill has two main purposes. The first is to vest in the Secretary of State the site of the military camp which forms part of Ashdown Forest, subject to the Secretary of State repaying the cost of purchasing lands in substitution and adding them to the Forest. The second object is to authorise the use of Ashdown Forest for military training purposes, subject to certain restrictions set out in the Bill. This Motion is necessary in order to empower the Secretary of State for War to pay out of public funds for the substituted lands which thereafter will be the property of the conservators, and also to pay compensation for or to make good damage or injuries to persons or properties which may arise as a result of the use of the Forest for military training purposes.

The Bill will naturally be subject to the same stages as other Private Bills and will be given detailed consideration by a Private Bill Committee in due course.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported Tomorrow.