HC Deb 05 March 1952 vol 497 cc561-2
The Minister of Agriculture (Major Sir Thomas Dugdale)

I beg to move, in page 2, line 31, to leave out subsections (3) and (4), and to insert: (3) A period specified for the purposes of this section in the first scheme under this Act for any country may be a period beginning before the passing of this Act, but not before the first day of July, nineteen hundred and fifty-one, and shall not exceed one year. (4) A period specified for the purposes of this section in any subsequent scheme under this Act shall not exceed two years. Perhaps it would be for the convenience of the House if we considered at the same time the following Amendment in my name. It is to Clause 4, in page 3, line 28, at the end, to insert: Provided that any extension by a varying scheme of a period specified for the purposes of section three of this Act shall be for not more than two years.

Mr. Speaker

I think that would be quite convenient if the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) agrees.

Mr. Thomas Williams (Don Valley)

indicated assent.

Sir T. Dugdale

These two Amendments are to meet criticisms made during the debate in Committee, and I think they will benefit the Bill. The effect of the Amendments, with the Amendment agreed to in Committee that all Statutory Instruments made under the Bill shall require an Affirmative Resolution, is that, subject to an Affirmative Resolution, the first scheme shall be for a period beginning before the passing of the Act but not before 1st July, 1951, and not exceeding one year. In fact, the scheme will be for the period from 1st July, 1951, to 30th June, 1952. After the period of the first scheme, all subsequent schemes will be for periods not exceeding two years, and every scheme and every variation or revocation of a scheme will, as already stated, be subject to Affirmative Resolution.

Mr. T. Williams

We should like to express our appreciation to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman for following what I think is a very good tradition. When I occupied the position which he now does, I was always ready and willing to listen to Members of the Opposition. If they could improve any Bill, I gave them the opportunity. My hon. Friends the Member for Belper (Mr. G. Brown) and the former Under-Secretary of State for Scotland had Amendments down in the Committee stage which I was satisfied would improve the Bill. Fortunately, the Minister agrees with them and has now accepted their Amendments. I am certain that they improve this Measure. Therefore, we express our appreciation of the Minister's acceptance of these Amendments, and we support them.

Amendment agreed to.