HL Deb 02 April 1924 vol 57 cc81-3

Order of the Day read for the resumption of the debate on the Motion, made by Lord Thomson on Tuesday, March 25, that the House be put into Committee.

On Question. Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The EARL. OF DONOCGHMORE in the Chair.]

Clause 1:

Constitution of county joint associations and auxiliary air force associations.

1. The power of His Majesty under Section six of the Air Force (Constitution) Act, 1917 (in this Act referred to as "the principal Act"), to apply by Order in Council to the auxiliary air force or to the officers and men of that force any of the enactments relating to the territorial army or the officers and men of that army, shall be extended so as to include power to apply Part I of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, to the auxiliary air force find to the officers and men of that force and also to the territorial army and to the officers and men of that army with such modifications as may be necessary—

  1. (1)—
    1. (a) to provide for the establishment and constitution of county joint associations under the said Part I, which shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of associations under the said Part in relation both to the territorial army and to the auxiliary air force, and to provide for the application of the provisions of that Part with respect to the Army Council, to army services and to the territorial army, to the Army Council and Air Council or either of them, to army and air force services or either of them and to the territorial army and the auxiliary air force, or either of them, respectively;
    2. (b) to define the relations and responsibilities of any such county joint association to the Army Council and the Air Council respectively; and
  2. (2) to provide for the establishment and constitution, in any area not administered by a county joint association constituted under the preceding paragraph, of auxiliary air force associations; and
  3. (3) to provide for the termination of county joint associations either generally or in special cases, and on such termination for the establishment of associations constituted under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, or of auxiliary air force associations; and
  4. (4) to provide for the transfer and adjustment of any powers, duties, assets and liabilities on the establishment or termination of county joint associations.

LORD THOMSON moved, in subsection (1) (a), to leave out "county joint associations" and to insert "a county joint association." The noble Lord said: This and the two following Amendments upon the Paper are merely intended to remove a certain ambiguity in regard to the expression "joint county association." I think that the alterations will make it clear that a County Joint Association does not mean an association between two county associations, but merely implies an extension of the functions of a County Association to cover both the Air Force and the Territorial Force.

Amendment moved— Page 1, line IS, leave out ("county joint associations") and insert ("a county joint association").—(Lord Thomson.)

THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH

I do not rise to oppose this Amendment, but merely to thank the noble Lord for his letter, which entirely removes any doubts I had as to the difference between a county joint association and a joint county association, and fully explains the difficulty.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Amendments moved—

Page 1, line 19, after ("exercise") insert ("as respects the county")

line 20, leave out ("associations") and insert ("an association").

—(Lord Thomson.)

On Question, Amendments agreed to.

LORD THOMSON moved, in subsection (2), to leave out "in any area not administered by a county joint association," and to insert "for any areas which in the opinion of the Air Council cannot suitably be administered through county joint associations." The noble Lord said: The intention of this Amendment is to give an idea of what constitutes an area. Some of the areas which will be affected by this Bill are in two counties, and therefore cannot come under the ruling of one County Joint Association. The Bill merely confers powers to set up another association, called an Air Force Association, in such circumstances.

Amendment moved— Page 2, lines 10 and 11, leave out ("in any area not administered by a county joint association") and insert ("for any areas which in the opinion of the Air Council cannot suitably be adminstered through county joint associations").—(Lord Thomson.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clauses agreed to.