HC Deb 25 May 1993 vol 225 cc841-2

Amendment made: No. 160, in page 6, line 13, leave out 'and'and insert— '(aa) any payments which the Franchising Director may make with a view to securing—

  1. (i) the provision of any services, or
    2. 842
  2. (ii) the operation of any network, station or light maintenance depot, or any part of a network, station or light maintenance depot,
in pursuance of any provision of sections (Failure to secure subsequent franchise agreement), 32 to 35 and (Contracts between the Franchising Director and the Board for the provision of non franchised railway passenger services) below; and'.—[Mr. Freeman.]

Mr. Freeman

I beg to move amendment No. 3, in page 6, line 16, at end insert— '(3) Where the Secretary of State gives the Franchising Director any objectives under subsection (1)(a) above, the Secretary of State shall—

  1. (a) lay a copy of a statement of those objectives before each House of Parliament; and
  2. (b) arrange for copies of that statement to be published in such manner as he may consider appropriate.'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to discuss amendment No. 1, in clause 19, page 21, line 5, leave out 'send a copy of the approval' and insert— 'publish the approval and shall send a copy of it'.

Mr. Freeman

Amendments Nos. 1 and 3 result from a commitment that I gave in Committee. Amendment No. 3 requires the publication of objectives given by the Secretary of State to the franchising director and a commitment to lay before each House a copy of the document. I gave the hon. Members for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) and for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) that assurance in Committee.

We intend to recommend that the House accepts amendment No. 1. We shall publish a second draft of the objectives to be given to the franchising director while the Bill is still in Parliament. The first draft was tabled in Committee and we have given a commitment that the House will have an opportunity before the Bill completes all its stages to comment again.

Dr. Marek

I am pleased with the result of our debate in Committee. The Government have tabled amendment No. 3 and the Minister said that they will accept amendment No. 1. I urge my hon. Friends not to vote against amendment No. 3, although it might be their predilection to vote against anything that the Government propose in this Bill, and to support amendment No. 1.

Amendment agreed to.

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