HC Deb 21 July 1961 vol 644 cc1650-1

Lords Amendment: In page 11, line 21, at end insert: (6) (a) The Minister shall by regulations provide for the payment by a river board, subject to such exceptions or conditions as may be specified in the regulations, of compensation to any officer or servant of that board who suffers loss of employment or loss or diminution of emoluments which is attributable to an order made under subsection (2) of this section or anything done in pursuance of any such order. (b) Different regulations may be made under this subsection in relation to different classes of persons. (cRegulations made under this subsection may include provision as to the manner in which and the persons to whom any claim for compensation by virtue of this subsection is to be made, and for the determination of all questions arising under the regulations. (d) Regulations made under this subsection shall be made by statutory instrument and shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Mr. Vane

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

This Amendment is somewhat different from the Amendments we have so far discussed. It empowers the Minister to make regulations so that river boards shall compensate any person for loss of employment or earnings where the petition for the establishment or the re-establishment of an independent drainage board is successful. This is a very remote chance, but nonetheless, where it happens this would give employees of river boards certain rights. We are giving river boards a new power. If the Amendment is accepted it will mean that where that new power is exercised there will be a statutory right of compensation to any employee who may thereby be affected.

Mr. Willey

I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Burden, who proposed the Amendment in another place. Any noble Lord who made a new suggestion in dealing with this Bill showed remarkable ingenuity. I congratulate him on having done so. I also congratulate the Government on having accepted the Amendment. The Parliamentary Secretary in another place left it to their Lordships; he said that if there were no objections he was prepared to accept it. This is an admirable rule which I hope that the Government will follow in future.

Question put and agreed to. [Special Entry.]