§ The Chairman of Ways and Means (Mr. Bernard Weatherill)I beg to move,
That the Committee on the Epsom and Walton Downs Regulation Bill [Lords] have leave to visit and inspect Walton Downs, provided that no evidence shall be taken in the course of such visit and that any party who has made an Appearance before the Committee be permitted to attend by their Counsel, Agent or other representative.Hon. Members will be aware that in this House Private Bill Committees rarely make visits and cannot do so without the leave of the House.That leave has certainly not been given indiscriminately in the past but has been granted where the physical features of a site are an issue being considered by a Committee.
The Chairman of the Committee, the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang), has represented to me that the Committee would indeed be greatly helped on this Bill by seeing the site for themselves, and I am happy to support him by moving this motion.
§ Debate to be resumed upon Monday 25 April.