HC Deb 14 April 1967 vol 744 cc1516-7

(1) The power conferred by subsection (1) of section 4 of the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953 to make grants for the purposes mentioned in that subsection shall include power to make loans for those purposes, and references to grants in subsections (3) and (4) of that section shall be construed accordingly.

(2) Any loan made by virtue of this section shall be made on such terms as to repayment, payment of interest and otherwise as the Minister making the loan may determine with the approval of the Treasury; and all sums received by any Minister by way of interest on or repayment of such a loan shall be paid into the Exchequer.—[Dr. Dickson Mabon.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time.

Hon. Members who were on the Committee will recollect that Amendments were put down by the hon. Member for Renfrew, East (Miss Harvie Anderson) and my hon. Friends the Members for The High Peak (Mr. Peter M. Jackson) and Dagenham (Mr. Parker) to allow the Minister of Housing in England and the Secretaries of State in Scotland and Wales, acting on the advice of the respective historic buildings councils, to make loans as well as grants towards the repair or maintenance of historic buildings. These Amendments were not called in Committee, as they were outwith the Money Resolution.

The House agreed last night to the Amendment to the Money Resolution and we said in Committee that, subject to that, the Government would agree to draft a new Clause which would also get rid of certain defects in the uncalled Amendments. We have thought it wise to do so. New Clause No. 7 takes power to make loans as well as grants for historic buildings. It is already precedented in the Local Authorities Act, 1962, which applies to England and Wales, and, as I said earlier, we have taken steps to apply this provision in Scotland. There is no dispute over the addition of this new Clause, I believe, but if there is I will answer any questions.

Mr. Sandys (Streatham)

I am most grateful to the Government for bringing forward the new Clause which is extremely helpful and will add to the value of the Bill.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time and added to the Bill.