HC Deb 13 April 1956 vol 551 cc599-600
Mr. Deedes

I beg to move, in page 3, line 35, after "shall", to insert: be made to the local authority in whose area the office or head office of the society is situated and shall". This Amendment should really be read in conjunction with the next Amendment in my name. The reason for this Amendment is that subsection (1) says what an application for the registration of a society is to contain, but is defective in that it does not say to whom the application should be addressed. Subsection (6) defines the local authority as being the one in which the office or head office of the society is situated, but subsection (1) does not say, in terms, that the application is to be addressed to this local authority.

This Amendment, therefore, specifies in subsection (1) that the application is to be made to the local authority in whose area the office or head office of the society is situated, leaving it to subsection (6) in the proposed Amendment simply to define the local authorities which are to exercise this function of registration. I think it will be seen that it clears up an ambiguity in this part of the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 4, line 25, to leave out subsections (6) and (7) and to insert: (6) In this Act "local authority" means, in relation to England and Wales other than London, the council of a county borough or county district, in relation to London, the Common Council of the City of London or the council of a metropolitan borough, and in relation to Scotland, a county council or a town council.—[Mr. Deedes.]

Mr. Deputy-Speaker (Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris)

The next Amendment in the name of the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. J. Taylor), falls, owing to the acceptance of the Government Amendment.

Mr. John Taylor (West Lothian)

I think, in fact, that it does fall as a technical matter, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, but wishing to bring in the most local authority in Scotland—it only applies to Scotland—that is to say, a district council, would it not be possible to submit the principle that the most local authority should be considered?

Mr. Deputy-Speaker

The hon. Gentleman has caught me rather unawares. I do not know what the promoter says about it, because he is not here. I think it might, perhaps, be left for another place. It is quite simple, I gather. I have just come into the Chamber and just do not know. All I can say is that, the Government Amendment having been carried, the hon. Gentleman's Amendment falls.

Mr. Taylor

I had foreseen that possibility.

Mr. Deputy-Speaker

The matter can be put right in another place.