HC Deb 10 December 1963 vol 686 cc353-4

Resolution reported, That, for the purposes of any Act of this Session to establish a National Ports Council; to provide for the control of harbour development and for giving financial assistance for the improvement of harbours; to make other provision respecting the construction, improvement, maintenance and management of harbours; to make provision with respect to charges of certain harbour authorities and lighthouse authorities; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid, it is expedient to authorise the making of provision for the financial purposes mentioned below, that is to say,—

(1) as regards the said Council,—

  1. (a) for the payment by the Minister of Transport out of moneys provided by Parliament of grants to the said Council in respect of expenses incurred by them in consequence of their complying with a direction given to them by the said Minister under any provision of the said Act;
  2. (b) for the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of such sums as may be required to enable the said Minister to make loans to the said Council of sums they may require for the exercise and performance of any of their functions under the said Act, but so that the aggregate of the amounts outstanding in respect of the principal of such loans shall not exceed £250,000;

(2) as regards any person or body engaged in improving, maintaining or managing a harbour,—

  1. (a) for the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of such sums as may be required to enable the Minister of Transport to make loans to any such person or body—
  2. (i) in respect of expenses incurred by that person or body for the purposes of or in connection with the harbour, in a case where the said Minister is satisfied 354 that the expenses are such as ought properly to be regarded as being of a capital nature;
  3. (ii) to enable that person or body to repay the whole or part of the principal of, or to pay the whole or part of a sum due by way of the payment of interest on, a loan made to them by the said Minister in respect of such expenses;

(b) for tie payment by the said Minister out of moneys provided by Parliament of grants to any such person or body in respect of such expenses incurred by him or them as are mentioned in sub-paragraph (a)(i) of this paragraph or to enable him or them to repay the whole or part of a sum due by way of payment of interest on a loan made to him or them by the said Minister in respect of such expenses,

but so that the aggregate amount of any such loans and giants are as mentioned in this paragraph shall not exceed £50,000,000 or, if so provided by a resolution of the Commons House of Parliament, £100,000,000;

(3) for the raising under the National Loans Act 1939 of any money required for the purpose of providing sums to be issued as mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) above, or for the replacement it of sums so issued:

(4) for any payment into the Exchequer of any sums received by the said Minister in respect of loans mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) above and the issue of such sums out of the Consolidated Fund and the application of such sums, in so far as they represent principal, in redemption or repayment of debt, and, in so far as they represent interest, towards meeting such part of the annual charges for the national debt as represents interest;

(5) for defraying out of moneys provided by Parliament any increase attributable to the said Act of this Session in the sums payable out of moneys so provided by way of Rate-deficiency Grant of Exchequer Equalisation Grant under the enactments relating to local government in England and Wales or in Scotland;

(6) for the payment into the Exchequer of any sums, other than those mentioned in paragraph (4) above, falling to be so paid in consequence of any of the provisions of the said Act of this Session.

Resolution agreed to.