New Clause 3.—(POWERS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN RELATION TO TAXATION.) (Hansard, 6 July 1967)

§ Mr. Michael Foot
I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time.
I would just say a word on the Clause. I do not wish unduly to delay the Committee. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the clarification of her undertaking that she gave just now. Many of us are still dissatisfied—not with her undertaking—about the general situation, but I believe that in these discussions we have made our general view of the matter plain.
The new Clause seems to illustrate the peculiar position that we are in. I cannot see why we should have such an elaborate procedure for setting up a second Chamber in Bermuda, one with such powers of interference in taxation matters, much greater powers than are given to our second Chamber for interfering with taxation. This is a very sore matter. The whole question whether Bermuda is to have income tax and a 2166 proper system of charging the well-off members of the community their proper contributions to the community is a matter of great importance.
I should have thought that it would have been a very proper arrangement to have adopted the new Clause, which would at any rate limit considerably the powers of the second Chamber to interfere in taxation matters. There is also the fact that under the arrangements that are to be made the second Chamber will have powers of delay. My hon. Friend referred to that on Second Reading. But these powers are very important because they would be such that they would enable people in Bermuda to see what a new proposal in taxation was and whether they could find some way of getting round it in between the period the matter was first rejected by the Upper House and when it was brought forward again.
I hope that the new Clause commends itself to all those who wish to see that, at any rate, we make some small limitation in the archaic form of constitution which is still to survive in Bermuda.

§ Mr. James Johnson
Without seeking too much unpopularity at this late hour, I support this new Clause. On the other hand, when I look at the text of paragraph 9 on page 5 of the Report of the Constitutional Conference and recall what my hon. Friend the Minister of State has said, I feel much better about the whole future in the context of the constitutional changes envisaged.
We have a definite commitment—indeed, almost a cast iron, copper-bottomed guarantee—that, after the election, we shall have another conference and look at the points mentioned tonight. I thank my hon. Friend for the open, forthright way she has approached this whole matter. We are in her debt tonight because the message she has given us will go over the Atlantic and be studied with care and diligence by the voters and politicians in Bermuda itself.

§ Mrs. Hart
I regret that I cannot accept the new Clause because this proposal would conflict with the decision of the conference. But my hon. Friends should note that again there is to be a very considerable improvement on the previous position. Up to now, the Upper House has had a complete veto on any 2167 taxation Bills coming up from the Lower House. It will no longer have a complete veto. It will be possible to present taxation Bills for assent whether or not the Upper House objects if they are passed in two successive sessions of the Lower House, with an intervening period of not less than one year.
There has always been a good deal of discussion in this country about precisely what powers either House of Parliament should have in these matters and such a debate is clearly now going on in Bermuda. This represents a considerable advance. I hope that no one in Bermuda or in the House of Commons here minds the House sitting late to discuss these matters, which are of such tremendous importance to the people of Bermuda. I have no regrets at all that my hon. Friends have put down Amendments to the Bill. I welcome the fact that they have given us an opportunity to discuss these matters in such depth.
2168 I know that my hon. Friends will agree with what we are all anxious to achieve here. I think that all parties in Bermuda —and I trust this will continue to be the case—agree that what we are trying to achieve is the peaceful development of the rights of all peoples in Bermuda. I very much hope that we shall be able, in Bermuda, to avoid the sharp clash of interests between peoples of different creeds and colours that we see in so many parts of the world. I believe that Bermuda is very likely to be able to avoid such a clash. We all hope that such will be the case.