§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD SOMERLEYTONMy Lords, this Bill proposes to effect an amendment of Section 16 of the Railways Act, 1921, subject to proper provisions and control being maintained by Parliament. By that section it is provided among other things that the Minister of Transport may on the application of any railway company authorise the company to afford such reasonable railway services, facilities and conveniences, upon and in connection with its undertaking (including the provision of such minor alterations and extensions and improvements of existing works as will not involve in any one case an expenditure exceeding £100,000) as may be specified in the Minister's Order. The present Bill proposes to raise the limit of £100,000 to £500,000.
The main object of the Bill is to enable railway companies more readily to undertake work for the relief of unemployment. If the state of employment should continue bad during the next year or two it is felt that it is desirable to provide expeditious machinery by which railway companies may obtain powers to undertake works without the matter being delayed until they can obtain such powers from Parliament. This machinery is already provided by Section 16 of the Railways Act, 1921, in the case of schemes costing not more than £100,000, but this limitation might make it impossible for railway companies to obtain power by this procedure to carry out useful schemes of improvement, and it is felt that the scope of the procedure should be extended so as to cover schemes costing up to £500,000.
As to control, Parliamentary control is retained under the provisions of Section 29 of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919. 954 Those provisions have the effect of securing that any draft Order of the Minister under the provisions of the Bill must be submitted to the Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords, and the Chairman of Ways and Means in the House of Commons, and that if they consider that the proposals of the Order are of such a character or magnitude that they ought to be submitted to Parliament., the Order can only be made after it has been approved by Resolution of both Houses. I trust your Lordships will agree that this control is properly constituted, and that you will give this Bill a Second Reading. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Somerleyton.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.