HC Deb 24 April 1963 vol 676 cc356-7

10.30 p.m.

Mr. Leburn

I beg to move, in page 7, line 1, to leave out from the beginning to "shall" and to insert: (3) An order under this section may be made so as to have effect for the purposes of the year 1964–65 or any subsequent year. (4) Before making any order under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult with such associations of local authorities as appear to him to be concerned; and any such order". The Amendment has two objects. The first is new and the second gives effect to an undertaking which I gave to the Standing Committee.

The new subsection (3) proposed by the Amendment states that an order under Clause 8 varying the method of calculating weighted population for the purpose of the general grant may be made for any year from 1964 onwards. I have been advised that it is desirable to specify the year from which the order can operate. There are two reasons why we have chosen 1964–65. The first is that there would not be time to make an order for 1963–64 before the beginning of the local authorities' financial year. The second, particularly bearing in mind the points made by the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis) and the hon. Member for Motherwell (Mr. Lawson), who drew my attention to the fact, is that representations were being received from certain local authorities about the proposals mentioned during Second Reading and in Committee to vary general grant weightings. It is, therefore, desirable on all counts that this should be postponed until 1964, which will give us time to consider the whole question fully. In the meantime, of course, the existing method of calculating weighted populations for general grant as laid down in the Second Schedule of the 1958 Act will continue in force.

The new subsection (4) regarding consultations is simply to fulfil an undertaking which I gave in Committee.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. Leburn

I beg to move, in page 7, line 2, to leave out "each" and to insert "the Commons".

The Amendment seeks to restrict to the Commons the power to approve Clause 8 varying the weightings of population used for calculating general grant. Similar Amendments to Clauses 10, 12 and 13 were accepted in Committee and I propose to bring Clause 8 into line for the sake of consistency. All orders with financial implications which are made under the Bill and which require affirmative Resolutions will now require approval by this House only.

Amendment agreed to.