HL Deb 01 July 1921 vol 45 cc935-6

Clause 5, page 3, lines 31 and 32, leave out (" notice of a proposal to make such a special order has been published ") and insert (" application has been made to the Minister to approve a special scheme on or ")

The Commons disagree with this amendment, but propose the following amendment in lieu thereof:

Clause 5, page 3, lines 31 and 32, leave out (" notice of a proposal to make such a special order has been published") and insert (" before the eighth day of June, nineteen hundred and twenty-one, a draft scheme appearing to Me Minister to be complete has been submitted to him and application has before that date been made to him to approve the scheme in accordance with the provisions of section eighteen of the principal Act.")

THE EARL OF CLARENDON

My Lords, it will be remembered, no doubt, that an Amendment, moved by the noble Earl, Lord Selborne, passed your Lordships' House last night. The Bill reached the House of Commons at a late hour and the noble Earl's Amendment was there defeated. Subsequently, the Minister of Labour, Dr. Macnamara, moved an Amendment in its stead, which was accepted without a Division, and I trust that this Amendment will be accepted by your Lordships.

I understand that the present form of words is agreeable to the noble Earl who moved the Amendment. I might say that it will enable the Minister to proceed with schemes which have been formulated in detail and submitted in the form of a complete 'draft for approval before June 8 of this year. Instead of the acceptance being limited to schemes which have been publicly advertised before June 8, the limitation is carried a little further back so as to apply to schemes which appear to the Minister to be complete and in respect of which application for approval has been made before June 8. This concession will meet the objects which I think the noble Earl had in mind, in that it will enable the banking industry to proceed with their special scheme. Furthermore, it will not substantially affect the actuarial calculations upon which the Bill is based.

The proviso as it now stands is in the following terms— Provided that this section shall not apply in any case where before the eighth day of June, nineteen hundred and twenty-one, a draft scheme appearing to the Minister to be complete has been submitted to him and application has before that date been made to him to approve the scheme in accordance with the provisions of section eighteen of the principal Act. I beg to move that the House do not insist on their Amendment, but agree with the Commons in their Amendment in lieu thereof.

Moved, that this House doth not insist upon the said Amendment and agrees to the Amendment proposed by the House of Commons.—(The Earl of Clarendon)

THE EARL OF SELBORNE

My Lords, this Amendment of the Minister of Labour gives me all that for which I contended in your Lordships' House. It is not in the exact words that I should have chosen, but, as the Minister prefers these words, it would be ungracious of me to insist upon mine, and I have much pleasure in concurring.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (THE EARL OF CRAWFORD)

As your Lordships are aware there is to be a Royal Commission at 5 o'clock.

House adjourned during pleasure

House resumed.