HC Deb 04 July 1956 vol 555 cc1490-1

Lords Amendment: In page 16, line 26, at end insert: B.—(1) If the local authority are satisfied, on the application of any person interested, that it is expedient so to do for the purpose of enabling investigations or research relevant to the problem of the pollution of the air to be carried out without rendering the applicant liable to proceedings brought under or by virtue of any of the provisions of this Act, the local authority may by notice in writing given to the applicant exempt, wholly or to a limited extent,—

  1. (a) any chimney from the operation of sections one, five, ten, fifteen and eighteen of this Act;
  2. (b) any furnace, boiler or industrial plant from the operation of subsection (1) of section three of this Act;
  3. (c) any furnace or oven from the operation of sections six and seven of this Act,
in each case subject to such conditions, if any, and for such period as may be specified in the notice. (2) Any person who has applied to the local authority for an exemption under this section may, if he is dissatisfied with the decision of the authority on the application, appeal to the Minister and the Minister may, if he thinks fit, by notice in writing given to the applicant and the local authority, give any exemption which the authority might have given or vary the terms of any exemption which they have given.

Mr. Powell

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

On Report stage in this House the desirability was pointed out of having some exemption from the provisions of the Bill where experiment in the reduction of pollution of the air was deliberately being carried out, and this new Clause provides the means of that exemption. It will be seen that it is the local authority, that is, the enforcing authority for the purposes of the Bill, which will give such exemption as it thinks to be expedient for the purposes in question, and it need only give exemption to the extent to which it considers it to be necessary in the circumstances, though there is a right of appeal to the Minister by an aggrieved applicant.

Mr. Blenkinsop

We are all very anxious indeed that there should be the widest and fullest amount of research and experiment going forward. Indeed, we hope that that will be one of the main consequences of the Bill's going through. We are, therefore, prepared to accept these limited exemptions for this purpose. But may I take the opportunity of asking the Minister whether he has any remarks to make as to when the various parts of this Bill will be likely to come into operation? How quickly can we expect any action in the laying of Orders?

Mr. Speaker

I doubt if that would be in order on this Lords Amendment.

Question put and agreed to.