HC Deb 27 May 1970 vol 801 cc1922-3

CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER PREVIOUS ENACTMENTS

Lords Amendment: No. 5, in page 49, line 11, leave out from " 1947 " to end of line 13 and insert: in a case where the land sold, exchanged, appropriated or let is land which has been or formed part of—

  1. (i) land in respect of which payments have been made under section 27 of the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act 1919; or
  2. (ii) land in the case of which contributions have been made or undertaken to be made under the said section 2 or the said section 58 in connection with proposals and estimates relating to that land."

Mr. Mackie

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

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I call the attention of the House to the fact that the question of privilege is involved in this Amendment.

Mr. Mackie

The purpose and effect of the Amendment is to ensure that the Minister may adjust his contribution to smallholding charges on the disposal of land only when the land itself or part of it has been the subject of ministerial contributions under previous smallholdings legislation.

Mr. Stodart

If my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mr. Hawkins) had been here he might have wished to say a word about this, since it touches upon a matter which was raised by him in Committee and which, with the greatest respect to the Joint Parliamentary Secretary, was not answered upstairs to the 100 per cent. satisfaction that we expect of him. My hon. Friend questioned the propriety and fairness of the Ministry in trying to reduce its contributions, and I recall the hon. Gentleman in his reply going so far as to say that he would not even comment on whether my hon. Friend's suspicions were justified or unjustified. Quite clearly they were justified, and further probing in another place has brought about a result of which my hon. Friend would have approved.

Question put and agreed to

Mr. Deputy Speaker

As the House is willing to waive its privileges I will see that an entry is made in the Journal.

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