HC Deb 28 July 1961 vol 645 cc820-2
Sir K. Joseph

I beg to move, in page 56, to leave out lines 2 to 6.

For this Amendment the Government are grateful for the argument put forward in Committee by the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. M. Stewart), who pointed out that by exempting entertainments that are covered at the moment by paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (4) we might inadvertently increase marginally the danger of, for instance, fire in certain otherwise completely innocent forms of entertainment. The Government feel that there is a strong argument for the hon. Member's point of view, and consequently propose the elimination of the exemption given in those paragraphs.

It is arguable that the exemption will leave open to byelaw control only such activities—using a very broad phrase—which include an entertainment such as is described in subsection (3). For those promoters such as churches and other charitable bodies who promote this sort of activity, I offer the comfort that the byelaws will normally deal only with such commonsense provisions as making sure that there are enough portable fire extinguishers, and enough lavatories available if the activity is going on outdoors—just those things that common sense and decency would cause any well-conducted organisation to provide normally without any byelaw requirements. I hope that the Committee will find the Amendment acceptable.

Mr. M. Stewart

We are very glad that the Government have taken the point, and we are grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary for having moved the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

1.6 p.m.

Sir K. Joseph

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

After the very full discussion that we have had on Second Reading and in Committee I do not think that there is any need for me to do any more than say three thin2s. First, a number of useful although not startling Amendments have been made Ito the Bill in Committee, and my right hon. Friend wishes to thank all hon. Members who, by their meticulous attention to detail in connection with such a wide range of subjects as are covered in the Bill, have enabled it to emerge improved.

Secondly, the House should take this opportunity to pay tribute to those hon. Members Who carry out, year by year, the relatively thankless but arduous and detailed work on the Committees on Opposed and Unopposed Private Bills. The House rarely has an opportunity to acknowledge this work, and I hope that it will not be thought presumptuous if I use this occasion to pay tribute to all the hon. Members concerned, to the Deputy-Chairman of Ways and Means, who presides over all the sittings of the Committee on Unopposed Bills and the Chairman of Ways and Means, who carried that burden before him, as well as to their opposite numbers in another place.

Thirdly, the Bill will be removing forty-one examples of their handiwork, by taking forty-one model clauses and converting them, in one form or another, into general powers to be given to local authorities. That is some evidence of the work of those Committees, and also of the valuable job that the Bill does.

1.8 p.m.

Mr. MacColl

I do not want to detain the House for very long. I merely wish to express my view that this is a good and valuable Bill, and, repeating what my hon. Friend said in special reference to the question of clearing dirty sites, to express the hope that the Government will take steps to see that the contents of the Bill are brought to the attention of local authorities, so that they are aware of the valuable new powers which are being given to them.

The Government have been conciliatory in considering many proposals on their merits, and accepting many valuable suggestions. I hope that the Parliamentary Secretary will have learned the lesson that my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. M. Stewart) always—and the rest of us quite often says things which are intelligent and constructive and should be accepted. I hope that he will take back to his Department the point pressed in Committee about the urgency of getting on with the job of preparing a new building code. He did not mention that side of the Bill in his remarks just now, but the view was put forward from both sides of the Committee that we hoped that there would not be a long delay while the code was being prepared. It is something which requires a good deal of activity.

We welcome and support the Bill. I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for having steered us through, comparatively amicably, with one or two exceptions, to a safe port at the end.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed, with Amendments.