HL Deb 18 December 1924 vol 60 cc172-5

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (VISCOUNT PEEL) had the following Notice on the Paper:—

To move, That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of—

  1. 1. The Borough of Dunstable, the urban district of Leighton Buzzard, and the rural districts of Luton and Eaton Bray, in the County of Bedford, the urban district of Linsdale and the rural district of Wing, in the County of Buckingham, and part of the rural district of Hemel Hempstead, in the County of Hertford;
  2. 2. Parts of the parishes of Blandford St. Mary, Bryanston, Langton, Long Blandford and Pimperne in the rural district of Bland ford, in the County of Dorset;
  3. 3. The parishes of Kenfig Pyle and Tythegston Higher, in the rural district of Penybont, in the County of Glamorgan;
which were presented on the ninth day of December, 1924, be approved.

The noble Viscount said: My Lords, there appears on the Paper a Motion to approve of throe Electricity Special Orders, but though it would he extremely advantageous no doubt, as regards employment, that these Orders should be put into force at once, I am sorry to say that the office has not complied with its duty as to giving the proper notice of a fortnight; only a week's notice has been given. I think. I know that an arrangement was made on this point, and I know also that the noble Earl the Chairman of Committees holds very strong views upon the necessity of giving due notice. In those circumstances I do not feel that I can urge your Lordships, as due notice has not been given, to accept these Motions as they stand upon the Paper. Therefore I do not move them.

THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF DONOUGHMOEE)

My Lords, may I thank my noble friend for the action he has taken in this matter? He has, of course, explained to your Lordships, as he always does, the reason why that action was taken. If I may say so. I think he has done a very wise thing in adhering to the arrangement and thus setting a good precedent, because this is not a very small matter. I have not studied these Orders in great detail for the reason that I am sure none of your Lordships have done—namely, that we have had them before us such a short time. But looking at one of them merely by chance, I see that it is an Order of thirteen clauses and that the Schedules extend from page 5 to page 12. I notice that one of the Schedules, which is five pages in length, is a very detailed list of private streets, and power is taken to break them up for the purpose of laying mains. As I have said, though this is a small, it is not a very small, matter and it is obvious that Parliament ought not to deal with it in a few hours, but that proper notice should be given to all the parties so that they can appeal to Parliament for protection if they want it. It is possible—I should think it is more than likely—that in this particular case no great objection may be taken when we meet in February; still, I am sure it is very important that we should proceed carefully in the matter. I may therefore repeat how grateful I am to the noble Viscount for the action he has taken.

LORD MUIR MACKENZIE

Having been responsible during the last Session of Parliament for dealing with these matters I should like to express my satisfaction also at the course which the noble Viscount has taken.

VISCOUNT PEEL

My Lords, in the case of the other Electricity Order Motion which is on the Paper, it has reference to an Order in respect of parts of the Counties of East Lothian and Midlothian, and your Lordships will observe that due and proper notice has not been given in this case; but I am able to assure your Lordships, with the agreement of the Minister of Transport who deals with these electricity matters, that this particular Order is really only consequential on, and complementary to, an Order which your Lordships passed yesterday. Therefore, in those circumstances your Lordships may be ready to overlook the irregularity in regard to notice. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the, Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Trans- port under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of parts of the Counties of East Lothian and Midlothian, which was presented on the sixteenth day of December, 1924, be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)

THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE

My Lords, perhaps I ought to say that my noble friend has been good enough to discuss this matter with me in private, and I am quite satisfied, and if your Lordships are satisfied, I think you will be doing the right thing in accepting the Motion.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

[From Minutes of December 17.—

Moved, That the Special Orders made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of—

  1. 1. The urban district of Kempston and parts of the rural districts of Bedford and Biggleswade, all in the County of Bedford, and for the amendment of the Bedford Electric Lighting Order, 1890;
  2. 2. Parts of the parish of Cambuslang, in the County of Lanark:
  3. 3. The urban district of Perry Barr, in the County of Stafford;
  4. 4. The urban district of Callington and part of the parish of Stoke Climsland, in the rural district of Launceston, in the County of Cornwall;
  5. 5. The urban district of Southwich, in the County of Sussex;
  6. 6. The parish of Milton, in the rural district of Lymington, in the County of Southampton;
of which notice was given on the 3rd day of December, 1924, and which were presented on the 9th day of December, 1924, be approved.—(Viscount Peel.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.