HL Deb 08 August 1914 vol 17 cc474-6

[SECOND READING.]

Order of the Day for the Second Beading read.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD LUCAS)

My Lords, as my noble friend the Leader of the House told your Lordships last night, this is the first of two Bills dealing with housing. This Bill is very restricted in its scope. It deals only with housing at Rosyth. Your Lordships are aware of the conditions that have arisen there. This Bill is to enable us to take steps with regard to the provision of houses. It is urgent that the Bill should be passed through all its stages to-day, because I have an Amendment to propose, more or less of a drafting character, which will necessitate the Bill going back to the House of Commons.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2ª.—(Lord Lucas.)

THE EARL OF SELBORNE

The Bill is not confined to Rosyth, is it?

LORD LUCAS

Not absolutely; but it is especially intended for Rosyth.

THE EARL OF SELBORNE

But it would apply to similar cases?

LORD LUCAS

Yes; it will apply to similar cases if they arise.

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN

I see that the noble Lord has an Amendment on the Paper which would enlarge the provisions of the Bill. As the Bill stands it is restricted to Government works, and that, I presume, would be limited to Rosyth. Can the noble Lord tell us what the effect will be if the Amendment which he has on the Paper is accepted? He described it just now as a drafting Amendment, but I think it is more than that.

LORD LUCAS

The Amendment is intended to meet the case of all people who are in the employment of Government.

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN

Not only on Government works?

LORD LUCAS

That is so.

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN

That is an important difference.

On Question, Bill read 2ª.

Committee negatived: Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 3ª.

Clause 1:

Powers of the Local Government Board and commissioners of Works for the purpose of housing persons employed by Government departments.

1.—(1) The Local Government Board shall have power, with the approval of the Treasury, to make arrangements with any authorised society within the meaning of this Act for the purpose of the provision, maintenance, and management of dwellings and gardens and other works or buildings for or for the convenience of persons employed by or on behalf of Government departments on Government works, where sufficient dwelling accommodation is not available for those persons, and the Commissioners of Works shall have power for the same purpose, with the consent of the Treasury, given after consultation with the Local Government Board, to acquire and dispose of land and buildings, and to build dwellings, and do all other things which appear to them necessary or desirable for effecting that purpose.

(2) The Local Government Board may, with the approval of the Treasury, assist any authorised society with whom arrangements are made under this Act on such conditions as they think fit by becoming holders of the share or loan capital thereof or making loans thereto or otherwise as they think fit. Where the Local Government Board make arrangements under this Act with any authorised society in connexion with the provision or maintenance of dwellings within any borough, the council of the borough shall have the like power, with the approval of the Local Government Board, of assisting the society as the Local Government Board have under this Act with the approval of the Treasury. Any expenses incurred by the council under this provision shall he defrayed in the same manner as expenses of the council under Part III of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890; and the council shall have the like power to borrow for the purposes of this provision as they have for the purposes of that Part of that Act.

LORD LUCAS moved to omit, from the middle of subsection (1), the words "on Government works."

Amendment moved— Page 1, line 11, leave out ("on Government works").—(Lord Lucas.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Bill passed and returned to the Commons.