HC Deb 24 July 1967 vol 751 cc210-1

Lords Amendment: No. 6, in page 18, line 20. after "Act" to insert: (except paragraph 14B of Schedule 2)".

Dr. Dickson Mahon

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

It might be convenient, Mr. Deputy Speaker, if, with this Amendment, we also discuss Amendment No. 11.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

If that is convenient to the House.

Dr. Mabon

The general adaptation made by Schedule 2 (2,a), which states … general references to a local water authority or to the limits of supply or to the area or district of such an authority shall be construed respectively as references to a regional water board or the region of such a board … applies only to Scotland because this is a purely Scottish Bill. However, I am informed that a similar adaptation is required to Section 127 of the 1963 Act, to which reference was made when we were discussing Amendment No. 5, and that it is necessary for a new paragraph to be added to Schedule 2. That is the purpose of Amendment No. 11.

Equally, it is necessary to insert in Clause 33 a reference to the new provision, which is the purpose of Amendment No. 6. I realise that some may argue that this may not be necessary but, for the sake of tidiness and because we are looking to consolidation Measures which we want to get clear, I think that the House should concur in the Amendment.

Mr. Wylie

I have had the advantage of a short discussion with the hon. Gentleman on this Amendment. I accept what he says about tidiness, but the Amendment is not really necessary because under the provisions of Clause 2 it is specifically provided that the regional water board will succeed to all the functions of the local water authority. In those circumstances, therefore, it does not seem to me to be at all necessary to rewrite the provisions of the Water Resources Act, 1963.

In so far as that Act refers to local water authorities, and these are abolished and successor bodies are set up by this legislation, it would inevitably follow that their obligations under that Act were confined to negotiations with the new water authorities under this Measure, namely, the regional water boards. Both these Amendments seem to be entirely unnecessary, therefore, but probably the Minister is right when he says that it is tidier this way, and probably easier to follow.

I think, therefore, that we should agree to the Amendment.

Question put and agreed to.