POWER TO TREAT EXPENDITURE AS NOT BEING CAPITAL EXPENDITURE (Hansard, 11 November 1997)

§ Ms Armstrong

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

The amendment refines the amendment to section 57 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 proposed in clause 9 of the Bill, and further extends the opportunity to enter into partnership contracts. Under section 55(2) of the Act, a magistrates courts committee is able to procure any goods and services that are current expenditure items direct from suppliers, rather than through the paying authority.

Section 55(3) defines current items as items that, if they were procured by the paying authority, would not be capital expenditure. The amendment, by including section 55(3) in the regulation-making power conferred by clause 9, will enable expenditure under certain partnership contracts to be treated as "not capital" for the purpose of allowing magistrates courts committees to procure direct. That will allow the committees to enter into specified contracts direct with suppliers.

§ Mr. Chope

I thank the hon. Lady for the way in which she has dealt with this and the other amendments. It is significant that there is a lot more interest in the Bill at this stage, after it has been considered in the other place, than there was when it was initially considered. Perhaps that is an indication of the increasing pressure on the Government as the weeks of this Parliament go by.

Conservative Members are certainly conscious of the fact that we could have debated these issues all night. The lack of knowledge that certain Labour Members have on this subject tempted us to take them through the procedure for the whole night, but we decided on reflection that we would not do so on this occasion. Perhaps future opportunities will arise.