§ Mr. FoxI beg to move amendment No. 85, in page 33, line 36, leave out 'The' and insert 'Any such'.
The purpose of the amendment is to put it beyond doubt that there can be more than one order relating to supplementary grants, and that each order will be made by the Minister of Transport or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State. The matter arises because of the difference between the position which obtains in England and that which obtains in Wales.
§ Mr. Neil Thorne (Ilford, South)I am a little concerned about the clause and I hope that my hon. Friend will be able to reassure me. It would appear that transport supplementary grant is still capable of being abolished by the Bill. London is a very special case. If adequate transport facilities were not provided partially at the public expense, it would be an intolerable burden for the capital local authority to have to provide alternative means of getting round the capital city.
The position concerning the new block grant leaves quite a lot of questions to be answered. It is very complicated and it seems to be almost as complicated as its predecessor. In relation to the transport supplementary grant, therefore, it should be made quite clear that the capital city will not be adversely affected.
§ Mr. FoxI give my hon. Friend the assurance that he seeks. He may recall that we debated this matter in Committee, dealing with the impact that the abolition of the transport supplementary grant would have on London in particular. I thought that I had satisfied my hon. 299 Friend that we appreciated that London has particular problems, and that in no circumstances should we want the disadvantage that he has described to arise. I shall draw the attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to my hon. Friend's observations.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Mr. FoxI beg to move amendment No. 86, in page 34, line 4, at end add—
'(5A) The power to make orders under this section includes power, from the beginning of the commencing year, to specify different years in relation to England and to Wales and to make other different provision in relation to them.'.The amendment does not reflect any change in policy, since it has always been the intention that the provisions of clause 40 (2) in relation to the discontinuance of transport supplementary grant should operate quite independently in England and in Wales, within the framework of the new separate rate support grant system. The amendment provides accordingly.
§ Amendment agreed to.