HC Deb 09 July 1953 vol 517 cc1500-1
Mr. Marples

I beg to move in page 3, line 33, to leave out "and."

Mr. Speaker

I take it that this is consequential on the first Amendment, in page 1, line 11?

Mr. Marples

It is, Mr. Speaker. It prepares a way for the definition of "private storage premises" which comes later in the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. Marples

I beg to move, in page 3, to leave out lines 34 and 35, and to insert: having a floor space not exceeding two hundred and forty square feet and used as a lock-up garage, other than a hereditament. This is a drafting Amendment to make it quite clear that what makes a structure count as a private garage and so assessable as a private garage—that is, at 1939 values—is what it was being used for and not what it was built for. It may be built as a garage and perhaps used as a store for fruit, as it often is in the West End of London, in which case it should be assessed not on 1939 values but on current values. This makes it quite clear that the test is what it is used for and not what it was built for.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. Marples

I beg to move, in page 3, line 46, at the end, to insert: and the expression 'private storage premises' means a hereditament used wholly in connection with a dwelling-house or dwelling houses and so used wholly or mainly for the storage or accommodation of any of the following articles belonging to persons residing in that dwelling-house or those dwelling-houses, namely, household stores and other articles of domestic use and light vehicles (that is to say, bicycles, tricycles, perambulators and other similar vehicles) whether mechanically propelled or not. This is a definition which appears on the Order Paper to meet the point raised by the hon. Member for Clapham. We have carefully studied his speech in Committee and have taken note of the great erudition that he displays in these matters, and we have tried, in this Amendment, to meet the point that he raised. I think he will find that it covers almost all the things asked for by him. I can assure him that we went into it in great detail, and that I think this is sufficiently comprehensive for his purpose.

Amendment agreed to.