HC Deb 25 July 1963 vol 681 cc1873-5

Lords Amendment: In page 75, line 24, leave out "Greater London as a whole" and insert: an area of Greater London substantially larger than the London boroughs in or near which the park or open space is proposed to be provided".

Mr. Corfield

This Amendment meets an Opposition Amendment—perhaps not entirely but for the greater part—which was designed to give the Greater London Council somewhat greater flexibility in the provision of parks. Originally, the wording of the Bill was to the effect that the G.L.C. could provide a park only where the proposal was approved by the Minister as being for the benefit of Greater London as a whole. I think that the Opposition had some cause when they said that it would be difficult to define this and that there would be few places suitable for a park which would come within this definition, even if one were certain of its interpretation. I think that the new words are an improvement.

7.15 p.m.

Mr. Skeffington

I apologise for having been absent from the Chamber, but on my return I recognised the phrases being used and I know the subject matter to which the Amendment relates. I am glad that our arguments have prevailed on the Government and that they have made this change, which will be very much to the benefit of the amenities of the Greater London area.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 75, line 29, leave out from beginning to "as" and insert: vested in the London or Middlesex county council and used".

Mr. Corfield

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

I ought to forestall the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew), because this is a similar type of Amendment, Here again, my legal advice is that the new phrase is more appropriate than the old one. But I am bound to say that the difference in meaning is not readily apparent.

Question put and agreed to.

Subsequent Lords Amendment agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 75, line 31, after "57(2)" insert: or subsection (1) of section (The Green Belt)".

Mr. Corfield

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

This is an Amendment to make it impossible for both Clause 58 and new Clause A, which deals with land held under the Green Belt (London and Home Counties) Act, 1938, to apply to the same piece of land.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 76, line 18, at end insert: and, in relation to any land outside Greater London, as including a reference to the council of any county or county district in whose area any of the land is situated".

Mr. Corfield

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

Clause 58(2) provides that parks and open spaces vested in the London and Middlesex County Councils shall be initially transferred to the Greater London Council, who, before 1970, are to draw up a scheme in consultation with their local authorities showing which parks are to be retained by the Greater London Council and which are to be transferred to a local authority.

The Bill contemplates the limited transfer of parks to one or other of the London boroughs, but this formula needs to be revised because the Middlesex County Council owns land in districts which although now part of the county are not being included in Greater London, such, for instance, as the urban district of Staines, Sunbury and Potters Bar.

Question put and agreed to.