LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE) (SCOTLAND) (Hansard, 28 January 1964)

§ Mr. Forbes Hendry (Aberdeenshire, West)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable local authorities in Scotland to develop, and assist in the development of, land; to empower such authorities to set up certain capital funds and renewal and repair funds, to borrow by means of bonds and to allow discount for early payment of rates; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid. The Bill which I seek leave to introduce is not likely to spark off a great national controversy. It is not an exciting Bill. On the contrary, I should describe it as rather dull. However, I believe that it is potentially very useful and would deal with various odds and ends of local government in Scotland.

We in Scotland are not always engrossed in our own affairs. Sometimes we look over our shoulders to see what is happening south of the Border. If what we see is good, sometimes we take steps to copy it. That is what has given rise to the proposal to introduce this Bill. We in Scotland have found from time to time various good ideas have been adopted in England which seem to us to meet the present-day needs and problems.

First, I should like to apply to Scotland certain provisions in a Private Member's Bill introduced 10 years ago by the hon. and learned Member for Kettering (Mr. Mitchison). It was commended by the Government of the day and was passed with universal approval. In moving the Second Reading of his Bill, the hon. and learned Member said that it had a formidable title and was a little dull, but, on the other hand, in a very happy speech he said that he would have preferred the title of his Bill to be "A paradise of dainty devices". He said that that was the name of an Elizabethan song book composed principally by sundry learned gentlemen of honour and worship."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th March, 1953; Vol. 512, c. 1697.] My proposed Bill has a similar origin, and, like the hon. and learned Member for Kettering, I pay tribute to many gentlemen "of honour and worship" in municipal and county circles in Scot- 216 land who have encouraged and assisted me in preparing it.

The first set of proposals in the hon. and learned Member's Bill which I should like to see applied to Scotland would assist local authorities in good housekeeping. Scottish local authorities at present have no general powers to make reserve funds of their savings on capital and revenue account. My proposed Bill attempts to rectify that omission and to bring Scottish authorities into line with local authorities in England. It would keep their savings from rating account and the proceeds from such transactions as the sale of property separate from the other funds and would enable them to form the sort of nest eggs beloved of all good housekeepers. That would be a very great convenience to local authorities in Scotland.

For a peculiarly technical reason, local authorities in Scotland have always levied their rates six months in arrear. This causes a good deal of inconvenience to the local authorities which often have to borrow from the bank for the intervening period. It is also inconvenient to the ratepayers who often have to lay aside the money for an uncomfortably lengthy time in order to meet the rates when the demand comes in.

In the City of Edinburgh, under a private statute, the English law has been followed. There has been great success with a scheme under which a discount of 3d in the £ is given to people who are prepared to pay their rates at the beginning of the financial year. In the opinion of local authorities in Scotland, that would be universally acceptable not only to the local authorities but to the large body of ratepayers. I should, therefore, like such a provision to apply throughout Scotland.

Smaller local authorities in Scotland—and by that I mean local authorities which are not planning authorities—frequently have great difficulty in acquiring property within their areas which does not form part of an undertaking. The property concerned is very often derelict property, and it may be to the very great advantage of the community if the local authority is able to acquire and develop that land and to give assistance to developers to develop the land on their behalf.

217 Provision for this was introduced about a year ago by my hon. Friend the Member for Farnham (Sir G. Nicholson). I have copied, as far as possible, the provisions introduced by him in his Private Member's Bill. I do not propose to give local authorities in Scotland any further compulsory powers. I am asking for leave to introduce a Bill which will increase, their power to acquire land and to do things by agreement.

These provisions are wanted by local authorities in Scotland and I feel that their task will be made very much easier if they are given these discretionary powers. They will, to some extent, place local authorities in Scotland in a position of parity with local authorities in England and will be of general advantage. On these grounds, I ask the House to agree to my Motion.