HC Deb 17 June 1954 vol 528 cc2441-2
The Solicitor-General

I beg to move, in page 20, line 29, at the beginning, to insert: Subject to the provisions of the next following subsection. It would be convenient to take, at the same time. the Government Amendment proposed in page 20, line 38. These Amendments are designed to meet the criticism made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Kensington, South (Sir P. Spens), who in Committee moved an Amendment that was supported in a rather unusual coalition by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Glenvil Hall). We undertook to look again at the drafting of this Clause, and particularly of subsections (2) and (3).

The Amendments make provision for a tenant who has the right to more than 12 months' notice to quit to get longer notice. Where the tenant has the right to more than six months' notice to quit the interval of time between service of the notice under the Clause and the date of termination specified in the notice will be not less than the period of notice and not more than the period of the notice plus six months. I hope that this will satisfy this unusual but most friendly combination, that we have met the case they made in Committee.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

Let me carry the unusualness a step further by thanking the two right hon. and learned Gentlemen on behalf of the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Kensington, South (Sir P. Spens) and myself for this Amendment. We think it an excellent one, both of us being in favour of it, but, personally, I am surprised that it has been proposed by the Government.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 20, line 34, after "landlord," insert "(a)."

In line 38, at end, insert: and (b) where apart from this Part of this Act more than six months' notice to quit would have been required to bring the tenancy to an end, the last foregoing subsection shall have effect with the substitution for twelve months of a period six months longer than the length of notice to quit which would have been required as aforesaid."—[The Solicitor-General.]