§ Order read for consideration of Lords Amendments (In pursuance of the Order of the House of the 25th July.).
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Lords Amendments be now considered."
§ Mr. HaymanAs a Member of the Select Committee which dealt with the West Hartlepool Extension Bill when it was before this honourable House, I would say that we recommended unanimously that West Hartlepool and Hartlepool should be united in one county borough under the name of Hartlepools. There was a certain rural area contiguous to West Hartlepool which we recommended should be included, and there was a certain other development area which we recommended should not be included. The Lords Amendments negative the union of Hartlepool with West Hartlepool.
I do not propose to comment on the Amendments at the moment, but in view of the heavy expense entailed on local authorities by promotion of Private Bills such as this—in our case we sat several days and seven counsel were engaged; how long the upper House was engaged, I do not know—I would like consideration to be given at some time to the setting up of a Select Committee or a Joint Committee of both Houses to deal with Private Bills of this sort, so as to lessen the legal costs.
§ The Chairman of Ways and Means (Sir Charles MacAndrew)To do that would require an alteration to Standing Orders. If the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Hayman) will have a talk with me afterwards, I will tell him how the machinery works.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Lords Amendments agreed to.