HC Deb 17 July 1972 vol 841 cc232-3

MITIGATION OF CORPORATION TAX LIABILITY OF SMALL COMPANIES

Mr. Blenkinsop

I beg to bove Amendment No. 768, in page 60, line 38, leave out subsection (1).

I shall move this Amendment briefly because I have high hopes that the Government will accept it.

I understand that if this subsection had been allowed to stand, there would be certain cases in which all county council members might well be disqualified from voting—a situation which I am sure none of us would wish to arise—but I should be glad to hear what view the Government take about certain consequential changes which may be needed in other parts of the Bill.

Mr. Graham Page

I am not sure to which other Amendments the hon. Gentleman referred, but I will consult him later.

This seems a perfectly simple point and I am very happy to accept the Amendment. The present law seems to be about as sensible as telling hon. Members of this House that only Northern Ireland Members can vote on Northern Irish matters or that only Scottish Members can vote on Scottish matters. The rule as it stands is that when there is a special charge on a part of a district, only those councillors who represent that part of the district can vote. Surely councillors are elected as members of the council, and they should take part in all council affairs unless they are precluded by some personal reason.

Therefore, I hope the House will accept the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

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