HC Deb 12 May 1971 vol 817 cc589-92

10.30 a.m.

Resolved, That if the proceedings on the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Bill are not completed at this day's sitting, the Committee do meet on Wednesday next at half-past Ten o'clock. —[Mr. Michael Heseltine.]

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Michael Heseltine)

I beg to move, That the Chairman do now report to the House that the Committee recommend that the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Bill ought to be read a Second time. My introductory speech can be short. The purpose of the Bill is to remove the limit of £105 million which at the moment controls the level of grants which the Central Government can make to water and sewerage schemes. In a few months' time, if this Bill does not reach the Statute Book we will not have the power to go

on making grants. As all hon. Members of the Committee will know, this scheme has been going on for many years. It is our intention to keep it going and I hope, therefore, that it will not be necessary to go into protracted reasons explaining why this is necessary.

Simply, we believe that the procedures whereby, under the Vote, investigation and parliamentary control is maintained, are adequate, without there being a need to come back to this type of procedure every time we run out of authority.

Question put and agreed to.

Mr. Heseltine

On a point of Order. If it is not too early—or too late—in the proceedings, I must say that I have risen on numerous occasions to thank Chairmen of Committees for their excellent conduct, normally, about four or five months after Bills have been committed to Standing Committee. I now have pleasure in doing so after four or five minutes. Your conduct has been exemplary, Miss Quennell, and I hope that it will be copied by every other Committee Chairman.

Mr. Joseph Harper

I endorse everything that the hon. Gentleman has said.

THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS ATTENDED THE COMMITTEE:
Quennell, Miss (Chairman) Johnson, Mr. James
Gorst, Mr. Rossi, Mr.
Gummer, Mr. Selwyn Tebbit, Mr.
Harper, Mr. White, Mr. Roger
Heseltine, Mr. Michael Woodhouse, Mr.
The Chairman

I am most obliged to hon. Members for their co-operation.

Ordered, That the Chairman do now report to the House that the Committee recommend that the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Bill ought to be read a Second time.

Committee rose at twenty-seven minutes to Eleven o'clock.