§ WATER SPACE AMENITY COMMISSION
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI beg to move Amendment No. 58, in page 24, line 33, leave out paragraph (c) and insert:
'(c) one shall be appointed after consultation with the Sports Council or some other organisation appearing to him to be concerned with the encouragement of sport and recreation and prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph by an order made by him.'.The purpose of the amendment is to make it clear that the body to be consulted is the Sports Council. In Committee I explained that we were using a circumlocution. I do not think that is necessary. We are now able to state firmly and clearly that we mean that the Sports Council shall be consulted.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThis amendment was put down after representations from our side in Committee and it would be 1192 churlish of me not to express appreciation to the Under-Secretary for at least meeting our point in part. We would rather the Sports Council had the right to nominate directly. We know, however, that the hon. Gentleman will not concede this anywhere else, so we cannot expect it here, and to the extent that the amendment meets our point we express our appreciation.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
Amendment made: No. 59 in page 24, line 42, after 'or', insert:
'in the enhancement and preservation of '.— [Mr. Eldon Griffiths.M]
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI beg to move Amendment No. 169, in page 25, line 8, leave out 'may be appropriate' and insert:
'the Secretary of State considers appropriate and shall defray any expenditure incurred by the Commission with the approval of the Secretary of State in the discharge of their functions'.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. E. L. Mallalieu)With this we can take Amendment No. 60, in page 25, line 7, leave out 'Council' and insert 'Secretary of State'.
§ Mr. GriffithsThe purpose of Amendment No. 169 is to allow the Secretary of State to decide on the offices and accommodation to be provided for the Water Space Amenity Commission. It goes on to make clear that the commission can incur expenditure in carrying out its functions and it enables the Secretary of State, rather than the National Water Council, to be responsible for expenditure incurred by the commission although it will be defrayed by the council.
Hon. Members who served on the Committee will remember our debate on the matter. It is important that the council should not be in a position to deprive the Water Space Amenity Commission of adequate space and staff to carry out its functions. I said that I thought it right to give the Secretary of State the power and duty to see that it carries out its functions.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI beg to move, in page 25, line 12, at end insert:
'(7) Paragraph 38 of Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect with respect to annual reports of the Commission'.1193 I am in the difficulty that I do not know the number of the amendment. It gives effect to paragraph 38 of Schedule 3.
§ Amendment agreed to.