HC Deb 29 June 1951 vol 489 cc1762-3
Mr. Dalton

I beg to move, in page 20, line 24, at the end, to insert: (5) Regulations made by virtue of this section may apply to any minerals belonging to His Majesty in right of the Duchy of Lancaster, or to the Duchy of Cornwall, in respect of which arrangements under subsection (2) of section eighty-eight of the principal Act are in force; and references in this section to development charge shall be construed as including references to sums payable in pursuance of such arrangements in substitution for development charge. This Amendment is to enable certain minerals belonging to the Duchy of Lancaster or to the Duchy of Cornwall to be covered by the near-ripe set-off arrangement. Similarly, the Amendment to be considered later, in page 21, line 20, will enable the Lands Tribunal, with the consent of the Duchies concerned, to modify rights in respect of certain of the minerals.

Mr. J. Enoch Powell (Wolverhampton, South-West)

There is one question which I should like to ask about this matter. While seeing the desirability of amending Section 88 of the principal Act in the way which is to be enacted by this Bill, I am not quite clear of its necessity unless the Duchies do themselves develop minerals. We are here bringing them within the scope of Clause 26, which applies to minerals owned by developers or land offered for development on the appointed day, and it would appear to me, although perhaps quite wrongly, that this would only have effect if the Duchies themselves develop or are likely to develop minerals.

Mr. Dalton

They own minerals, in any case, and may be mineral developers.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.