§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD DYNEVORMy Lords, I beg to move the Second Reading of this Bill, the provisions of which I can explain to your 652 Lordships in very few words. Under the Tithe Redemption Act of 1918 tithes could be redeemed by means of an annuity, if the tithe payer so desired, with the consent of the Minister of Agriculture, but by an omission in that Act no provision was made for the apportionment of such annuities when created. The result is that the annuity becomes a charge on each and every portion of the land in respect of which tithe rent-charge was formerly payable—that is to say, in the development of land for building, every plot is subject to the whole annuity, and small purchasers are naturally very reluctant to undertake such a great liability as that. Under this Bill the Minister of Agriculture can apportion the annuity. There is also a provision that where the apportioned part of the tithe annuity does not exceed £2 it can be compulsorily redeemed. Clause 2 is rather an important one, as it allows the capital moneys of settled land to be used in the redemption of annuities. This Bill has, passed through all its stages in another place and had a very smooth passage. I hope your Lordships will allow it the same easy pathway in this House.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read ª.—(Lord Dynevor).
§ On Question, Bill read 2ª, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.