HC Deb 20 June 1967 vol 748 cc1611-2
Mr. Graham Page

I beg to move Amendment No. 101, in page 41, line 7, after 'shall' to insert 'not'.

This is a nice, brief Amendment for this time of night; and may I take the opportunity of saying an omnibus "Thank you" for the Amendments passed in the last few minutes?

I hope I shall be able to say "Thank you" when the hon. Gentleman has accepted this Amendment to the Clause which imposes betterment levy on receipt by the landlord of compensation from his tenant. This is the Clause which adds insult to injury. Property is taken away from the landlord for a fraction of its value and then he is asked to pay betterment levy. This is a shocking position.

This Amendment is to relieve the landlord of liability for betterment levy and of course there should be that relief. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman, who intends to take an owner's property and give it to a third person, will step out of the shoes of middle man and not try to seize a commission on the way. That is what he is doing here. I know that it is going to his own baby, the Land Commission, but I hope he will here and now drop the idea of getting that cut on the way and that he will accept this Amendment.

Mr. Willey

The hon. Gentleman knows that there is no possibility of my affording him an opportunity to say "Thank you" to me. Where there is betterment, obviously there must be betterment levy. If there is betterment here, then, just as in the other case of compulsory purchase, the levy will follow.

Amendment negatived.