HC Deb 22 May 1984 vol 60 cc854-917

Considered in Committee [Progress, 10 May].

[MR. ERNEST ARMSTRONG in the Chair]

5.15 pm
Dr. John Cunningham (Copeland)

May I raise a point of order about the non-selection of certain amendments relating to clauses 7 and 8 of the Bill, which we are about to debate, Mr. Armstrong? I recognise how difficult it is to raise that matter now, but an important point is at stake, and the least I seek to achieve is to place the matter on the record. You may not be able to do anything about it, but I wish to put the point to you.

Amendments Nos. 85 and 31 to clause 7 and amendment No. 97 to clause 8 have not been selected. The Opposition believe that they are important because they would delay the operation of the clauses until the main legislation is agreed by the House. The clauses assume, in part, that abolition will take place as the White Paper proposes, but we have not seen the main Bill. Clause 8, for example, assumes that there will be no county-wide planning administration. In reality, clauses 7 and 8 of this Bill pre-empt a decision by Parliament on the main Bill.

Unlike part II of this measure, which does not come into force immediately, part III takes effect immediately after this legislation is agreed to. Therefore, the Opposition sought, in tabling amendments, to prevent that happening. Unhappily, those amendments were not selected for debate. Since Parliament has yet to decide on the proposal as a whole—we must complete our consideration here and then the Bill will go to another place—these issues should be discussed in Committee on the Floor of the House.

Similarly, other amendments would oblige the Secretary of State to make available to the House information that he will be able to gather as a result of the provisions in this Bill. Again, an important principle is at issue, that all hon. Members should have access to such information.

I regret that these amendments were not selected because the Opposition regard those issues as important, not only in their interests, but in the interests of the House, and, especially, the Committee.

The First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (Mr. Ernest Armstrong)

I assure the hon. Gentleman that those matters were given the most careful consideration. I propose to adhere to my selection.

  1. Clause 7
      2. cc854-915
    1. INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH PROPOSALS FOR ABOLITION OF AUTHORITIES 33,626 words, 1 division
    cc915-7
  2. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 1,342 words, 1 division
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