HC Deb 25 July 1963 vol 681 cc1860-1

Lords Amendment: In page 51, line 32, leave out "the said section 3(6)" and insert: section 30(6) and (7) of this Act".

Sir E. Boyle

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

This is a drafting Amendment designed to clarify the intention of subsection (4). If, as a result of the review provided for in this subsection it is found desirable to make any change in the administrative arrangements for the Youth Employment Service in the area of the I.L.E.A., changes will then be made by regulation made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, subject to Affirmative resolution.

To make this possible, this subsection gives him power to make regulations relating to education under Clause 30. At the moment subsection (4) refers only to subsection (6) and this could be construed as meaning that the Minister of Labour was to be given only powers specifically referred to in subsection (6) and was not to be empowered to include in the regulations any necessary, "incidential consequential, transitional or supplementary provisions", those being matters referred to in subsection (7).

If regulations are to be made there must be power to include only transitional or similar provisions. This has always been the intention of the Clause and the purpose of the Amendment is to make it clear beyond doubt that the Minister of Labour is to have the power to make regulations after a review of the powers conferred on the Minister of Education by subsection (7) of Clause 30 as well as those conferred by subsection (6).

I have dwelt for a minute or two on this Amendment, although it is practically a drafting Amendment, because in another place the noble Earl who was in charge of the Opposition's case implied that he had not studied the Amendment as closely as he should but that it seemed to be all right. It was then rather late at night and so I thought I should take this chance to explain it.

Question put and agreed to.