§ Major Legge-BourkeI beg leave to present a Petition from the Cathedral City of Ely, signed by 770 of its leading professional and business men and other inhabitants, including the entire urban district council, save one member who now lives elsewhere, the Dean of Ely and all save one resident of the Ecclesiastical College.
The Petitioners show that in December, 1949, the Isle of Ely County Council served a compulsory purchase order, which was confirmed in May, 1950, on Mr. Ernest Robert Evans for a site belonging to him on which he had 1728 allowed a temporary fire station to be built during the war, and which he later refused to sell voluntarily to the county council. In April, 1950, after protests against the order had been received, the Ministry of Health held an inquiry at Ely, but the county planning officer, who attended it, was allowed neither to answer questions nor to give evidence. Despite this inquiry having been held on an order to purchase, however, the county council later suggested a 10-year lease, but the owner thought this too long a period.
§ Mr. SpeakerA statement on a Petition may be made, but the whole grounds should not be stated.
§ Major Legge-BourkeI bow to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that, and I have condensed into two-and-a-half minutes what would otherwise have taken 15 minutes. I will be as brief as I can. The Ely Urban District Council was never consulted before the inquiry and has objected in the strongest terms both to this and to the present use of the site to the county council. Finally, the Petitioners show that the county council has been authorised by the Ministry to proceed regardless of opposition. They maintain that the fire station is an eyesore that involves the householders of this planned and developed residential district in considerable loss of amenities, and that a more suitable alternative site can be-found.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and gallant Gentleman should learn how to present a Petition. The whole grounds should not be stated. It must be done shortly.
§ Major Legge-BourkeMay I proceed with the Prayer at the conclusion of the statement—
That members of this Honourable House do suspend the operation of the compulsory purchase Order in respect of the site now occupied by the Isle of Ely County Council as a fire station for the City of Ely, and call upon the county council to obtain an alternative site and to fulfil the pledge given on 2nd November, 1942, to the owner that the buildings would be removed at the end of the war and the site restored "——
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and gallant Gentleman is taking far too long. I have never heard a Petition presented at such length. I was waiting for the hon. and gallant Gentleman to reach the end and to say—"Whereby your Petitioners do humbly pray." and so on.
§ Major Legge-BourkeI apologise to you, Mr. Speaker, and to the House if I have been too long, but I understood that the Rules of the House were that when presenting a Petition the Member presenting it should always cite the whole of the Prayer at the end of the Petition.
§ Mr. SpeakerCertainly not. That has never been the Rule.
§ Major Legge-BourkeI apologise most humbly, and I conclude:
Your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.Petition to be upon the Table.