HC Deb 19 January 1954 vol 522 cc933-4

Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 84 (Money Committees).—(Queen's recommendation signified.)

[Sir RHYS HOPKIN MORRIS in the Chair]

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session, it is expedient to authorise any such payments out of moneys provided by Parliament as are mentioned in the table set out below, and the payment into the Exchequer of any sums received by or on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in consequence of any such amendments as are referred to in item 3 of that table. The table above referred to

  1. 1. The sums needed as the result of making permanent the power to make grants under section fifteen of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous War Provisions) Act, 1940, as amended, in respect of field drainage and other matters.
  2. 2. The sums needed as the result of extending to the end of July nineteen hundred and fifty-nine the power to make contributions under section one of the Agriculture Act, 1937, as amended, towards the cost of liming agricultural land, and of enabling that power to be further extended by order for five-year periods.
  3. 3. The sums needed as the result of any amendment extending (by reference to the limit of rental value) the meaning of "small holding" in Part IV of the Agriculture Act, 1947, or as the result of any amendment altering in relation to a smallholdings authority's interest or sinking fund charges, the method of calculating the maximum contribution under section fifty-eight of that Act towards any loss incurred by the authority.
  4. 4. The expenses incurred by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries or the Secretary of State in administering any provision for pre venting the spread of pests or diseases by bees imported into Great Britain.
  5. 5. The expenses incurred by the Secretary of State as the result of extending the Corn Returns Act, 1882, to Scotland, with the substitution of references to the Secretary of State for references to the Board of Trade and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
    6. 934
  6. 6. The increase in grants under Part I of the Local Government Act, 1948, attributable to any provision for the collection and pro cessing by local authorities of kitchen and other waste for use as animal feeding stuffs.
  7. 7. The increase in grants under Parts I and II of the Local Government Act, 1948, attributable to any provision adapting the Diseases of Animals Act, 1950, to air transport.—[Sir T. Dugdale.]

Mr. G. Brown

There is one small point which I should be glad if somebody can answer. As there is nobody here from the Treasury, perhaps the Minister can help us.

In the table referred to there is no reference to any payment of moneys out of, or into, the Treasury in connection with the changed tribunal procedure. The new procedure, allowing appeals to a court of law, must involve somebody in additional expenditure. As far as I know there is nothing in the Bill about it being automatically recovered and yet it is not covered in this table. Could the Minister tell us why it is not covered and, secondly, could it be made clear that the fact that it is not mentioned in the table will not be held to prevent us from putting down Amendments to the Bill when we get upstairs in Committee?

Sir T. Dugdale

I think that paragraph (13) of the Financial and Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill covers that matter. It states that: The other proposals in the Bill will not place any substantial charge on the Exchequer or on local authorities. I take the point made by the right hon. Gentleman about Amendments.

Mr. Brown

It is precisely what is said in the Memorandum that worries me on the first point. The Memorandum says that there will be no substantial increase in the cost, but there is reason to think that there will be some.

Sir T. Dugdale

I understand it is an extension of an existing service.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported Tomorrow.