HC Deb 01 November 1994 vol 248 c1490

Lords amendment: No. 25, after clause 147, to insert the following new clause—Road works register— In section 112 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (road works register)—

  1. (a) in subsection (4), for the words from "of road" to "section" there shall be substituted the words "under this section of such road works authorities as he may specify";
  2. (b) after subsection (4) there shall be inserted the following subsection—
(4A) Before making any arrangements under subsection (4) the Secretary of State shall consult—
  1. (a) any road works authority having duties under this section which he intends not to specify for the purposes of the arrangements; and
  2. (b) any undertaker (other than a person having permission under section 109 to execute road works) having apparatus in a road for which such road works authority is responsible."; and
  3. (c) in subsection (5), after the word—
    1. (i) "require" there shall be inserted the word "the"; and
    2. (ii) "authorities" there shall be inserted the words "so specified"."

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Janet Fookes)

With this, it will be convenient to take Lords amendment No. 55.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The islands councils do not wish to use a central register and regard a local register for the purposes of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 as better suited to their needs. Amendment No. 25 meets that point.

Amendment No. 55 corrects a technical inconsistency.

Mr. Wallace

The Minister has told us the purpose of amendment No. 25. It arises out of correspondence that I had with him previously and an amendment moved in another place by my noble Friend Lord Mackie. The islands areas felt that there would be less bureaucracy and that it would be cheaper if they arranged their own register rather than join the central register. It is a victory for common sense and I thank the Government for responding to the representations that have been made.

Question put and agreed to.

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