HC Deb 24 February 1953 vol 511 c1949
Mr. G. P. Stevens (Portsmouth, Langstone)

I beg to move, in page 17, line 22, at the end, to insert: Provided that no person shall be qualified to be so appointed unless he is a member of one or more of the following bodies:

  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
  • The Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors;
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland:
  • The Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants;
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
In moving this Amendment I have only one thing to add to the remarks I made when moving a similar Amendment to Clause 14. On that occasion I suggested that my professional colleagues North of the Border had been more backward than their colleagues in this country in establishing faculties in accountancy. I was misinformed in that respect. Scotland beat us to it by more than 30 years, and I take this opportunity of offering a full and unqualified apology.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Mr. A. R. W. Low)

I hope that the Committee will accept this Amendment on the same understanding as they accepted the Amendment to Clause 14. My right hon. Friend asked me to assure the Committee that we would reconsider it before the next stage of the Bill. We are in the middle of such reconsideration.

Amendment agreed to.

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