HC Deb 11 November 1975 vol 899 cc1145-489

Order read for consideration of Lords amendments.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Lords Amendments to the Community Land Bill be considered by reference to the following order of Clauses and Schedules, namely, Clauses 1 to 3, Schedule 1, Clauses 4 to 7, Schedule 2, Clause 8, Schedule 3, Clauses 9 to 15, Schedule 4, Clause 16, Schedule 5, Clause 17, Schedule 6, Clauses 18 and 19, Schedule 7, Clauses 20 to 23, Schedule 8, Clauses 24 to 46, Schedule 9, Clauses 47 to 55, Schedules 10 and 11.—[Mr. John Silkin.]

3.45 p.m.

Mr. Timothy Raison (Aylesbury)

I must protest strongly at the sordid way in which the House is being treated over this Bill, even in its dying stages. The Bill was disgracefully handled on Report. A mass of Government amendments was flung at us very late in the day and we made our views clear on the matter then. Today we are faced with exactly the same situation. We are being asked to deal with 186 Lords amendments, with the Government seeking to disagree with or amend some 29 of them. The grouping of those which have been put forward allows for nearly 50 debates, and of course some of the Government amendments to the Lords amendments are quite new.

We received the printed paper setting out these amendments only today, and only today have we received the Government's intentions on them. They arrived in the Vote Office only this morning, at which time they became available to hon. Members. We did not receive the grouping of the amendments until after one o'clock. In no sense is the House of Lords to blame for this. The other place has done a very thorough job on the Bill, to which I would pay tribute. It has not tried to spin things out. I believe that the Government must acknowledge that their spokesmen in the other place have never suggested that it has.

The reasons for the chaos are quite simple. First, it is a product of serious mismanagement of Government business throughout the Session. Secondly, the Bill was brought in far too late in the Session anyway. Thirdly, the Bill is very badly constructed and drafted. Fourthly, it contained so much which was objectionable both in terms of common sense and human liberty that many changes have been forced on the Government. They themselves have had to make a vast number of changes during the passage of the Bill. They have been trying to buy acceptance in that way, but the Bill remains utterly unacceptable.

I do not invite my hon. Friends to vote against the motion on this point, but I hope that hon. Members and people outside this House will recognise that the way in which the Bill has been handled is a grave discredit to the House.

The Minister for Planning and Local Government (Mr. John Silkin)

I must congratulate the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison) on finding a new means of delaying the House at this stage. I well recall that when consideration by the Commons of Lords amendments to the Local Government Bill took place, over 600 amendments were involved. We did not receive them until an hour or so before we were to debate them. The right hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) was in charge at that time.

Most of the 186 amendments were made by Conservative Peers. There was only one amendment on Third Reading in the other place. Their Lordships finished their consideration of those amendments last week.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords amendments considered.

  1. Clause 1
      2. cc1146-9
    1. DEFINITIONS 1,038 words
  2. Clause 2
      3. cc1149-65
    1. JOINT BOARDS 5,924 words
  3. Clause 3
      4. cc1165-81
    1. MEANING OF RELEVANT DEVELOPMENT 6,693 words, 3 divisions
  4. Schedule 1
      5. cc1181-5
    1. EXEMPT DEVELOPMENT 1,128 words
  5. New Clause A
      6. cc1185-223
    1. OUTSTANDING MATERIAL INTERESTS 14,445 words, 4 divisions
  6. Clause 4
      7. c1223
    1. EXPRESSIONS RELATING TO LAND AND PLANNING LAW 87 words
  7. Clause 5
      8. cc1223-4
    1. STATUTORY UNDERTAKERS 221 words
  8. Clause 7
      9. cc1224-6
    1. THE APPOINTED DAYS, ETC. 859 words
  9. Schedule 2
      10. cc1226-8
    1. COMMENCEMENT DATES, ETC. 695 words
  10. Clause 14
      11. cc1228-30
    1. MANAGEMENT, ETC. OF LAND HELD BY THE AUTHORITY 655 words
  11. Clause 15
      12. cc1230-41
    1. POWERS OF ACQUISITION AND APPROPRIATION 4,325 words, 3 divisions
  12. Schedule 4
      13. cc1241-328
    1. ACQUISITION AND APPROPRIATION OF LAND 33,312 words, 15 divisions
  13. Clause 16
      14. cc1328-81
    1. LAND ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT SCHEMES 20,219 words, 6 divisions
  14. Schedule 5
      15. cc1381-3
    1. LAND ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT SCHEMES 472 words
  15. Clause 17
      16. cc1383-403
    1. GENERAL DUTIES 8,117 words, 3 divisions
  16. Schedule 6
      17. cc1404-17
    1. GENERAL DUTIES OF AUTHORITIES 5,326 words, 3 divisions
  17. Clause 19
      18. cc1418-22
    1. PERMISSION BEFORE RELEVANT DATE: APPLICATIONS BEFORE FIRST APPOINTED DAY 1,467 words
  18. Schedule 7
      19. cc1423-6
    1. PLANNING PERMISSION FOR RELEVANT DEVELOPMENT 1,258 words
  19. Clause 21
      20. cc1426-7
    1. PERMISSION GRANTED ON OR AFTER RELEVANT DATE 296 words
  20. Clause 23
      21. cc1427-51
    1. DISPOSAL NOTIFICATION AREAS 8,994 words, 3 divisions
  21. Schedule 8
      22. cc1451-5
    1. DISPOSAL NOTIFICATION AREAS 1,669 words
  22. Clause 25
      23. cc1455-72
    1. ASSUMPTIONS AS TO PLANNING PERMISSION ON OR AFTER SECOND APPOINTED DAY 6,895 words, 3 divisions
  23. Clause 26
      24. cc1473-4
    1. COMPENSATION PAYABLE IN TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN CERTAIN AUTHORITIES 398 words
  24. Clause 27
      25. cc1474-6
    1. FINANCIAL HARDSHIP TRIBUNALS 618 words
  25. Clause 28
      26. c1476
    1. POWER TO ACQUIRE UNOCCUPIED OFFICE PREMISES 212 words
  26. Clause 39
      27. cc1476-9
    1. GRANTS TO AUTHORITIES WHO BUY OR RENT CROWN LAND 843 words
  27. New Clause C
      28. cc1479-80
    1. CONSENT FOR DISPOSALS 684 words
  28. Clause 47
      29. cc1481-2
    1. POWERS OF SECRETARY OF STATE 676 words
  29. Schedule 10
      30. cc1483-9
    1. MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS 2,732 words, 3 divisions
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