HC Deb 29 April 1958 vol 587 cc301-2
Mr. Amery

I beg to move, in page 25, line 26, after "land", to insert: which comprises or is held with, land". It may be for the convenience of the Committee if we discuss with this Amendment the next one on the Order Paper, namely, in page 25, line 31.

Under subsection (1) as at present drafted compensation can be paid only for depreciation in the value of the particular area to which a wayleave order applies. The extent of the area in respect of which compensation is payable will thus depend on the terms of the wayleave order.

Suppose, for example, it was planned to lay a pipeline through the middle of a piece of land; the land on both sides of the line might well be depreciated in value as a result. Had it been intended, for instance, to use the plot of land as building land, the presence of the pipeline might affect the layout of the site for building purposes. As the subsection is at present drafted there is a danger that compensation would be restricted to the actual strip of land under which the pipeline ran. The purpose of the Amend- ment is to ensure that any compensation should be related to the interest of the plot of land as a whole through which the pipeline might run.

The Amendment to subsection (2) is consequential to the Amendment to subsection (1).

Sir F. Soskice

Personally speaking, I would have no objection to the change proposed by the Government. I must confess that when I saw the Clause in its original form it did not occur to me that there was any danger that the compensation might be restricted to that strip of land on which the pipe ran. If, however, the Minister has been advised that there is such a danger, I agree it is desirable to remove the risk, and certainly the language he has chosen for the purpose of his Amendment would seem to have that effect. That being so, speaking for myself, I think that the change is an improvement in the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 25, line 31, leave out from "If" to "is" in line 32 and insert: in the case of any land other than land which comprises, or is held with, land to which a way-leave order applies, the value of any interest in that land".—[Mr. Amery.]

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported, with Amendments as amended (in the Standing Committee and on recommittal), considered.