ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND (Hansard, 24 October 1972)

§ Mr. Speed
I beg to move, That this House cloth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.
The Amendment adds a new sub-paragraph to paragraph 1 of Schedule 3. Paragraph 1 provides the authority for the division of non-metropolitan counties into districts. This is to be done by order to be approved in draft by Resolution of each House. It is not yet certain whether the non-metropolitan districts will all be covered by one order under the paragraph 999 or whether it might be necessary to have more than one order covering different parts of the country. If there were separate orders covering different parts of the country the issue would arise as to whether these were matters which would otherwise have fallen to be dealt with under local legislation, and thus, under Standing Order No. 216 of another place, have attracted the possibility of petitions being received by that House. That would clearly not be appropriate in the present instance, as the operation is concerned with the setting up of a general pattern of districts for the whole of the non-metropolitan counties in England. The new sub-paragraph is being inserted to eliminate the possibility of a private Bill type procedure being followed.

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

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
with this Amendment we are to discuss Lords Amendment No.87.

§ Mr. Carlisle
The Amendments are technical. Their effect is to ensure that warding orders for the first elections can also make consequential provisions for such matters as adapting the register to the new wards.

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

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
I understand that it is for the convenience of the House to discuss with it Lords Amendments Nos. 53, 89 to 91, 128 to 136 and 138 to 150.

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this Amendment we are to discuss Lords Amendment No. 87.

§ Mr. Speed
It might be for the convenience of the House if Lords Amendment No. 145, which is related to Lords Amendment No. 137, were taken out of that group.

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
if that is for the convenience of the House, so be it.

§ Mr. Speed
This large group of Amendments is, I hope, uncontroversial. The Amendments are essentially drafting. The 1933 Act provisions repeated in the Bill are defective in one place and perhaps not quite as clear as they might be in others. The Amendments are designed to simplify and clarify the provisions of Schedule 12, setting out the minimum statutory framework regulating the meetings and proceedings of local authorities. Local authority associations have been consulted, and are generally content.