Lords Sitting of 20 April 1926

Preamble
The House met at a quarter past four of the clock, The Lord Chancellor on the Woolsack.

EDUCATION (EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS) BILL. [H.L.]
VISCOUNT ASTOR: My Lords, I beg leave to introduce a Bill to amend the Education Act, 1921, and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(Viscount Astor.)
On Question, Bill read 1a, and to be printed.

PARLIAMENT (QUALIFICATION OF PEERESSES) BILL. [H.L.]
VISCOUNT ASTOR: My Lords, I beg leave to introduce a Bill to enable Peeresses in their own right to sit and vote in the House of Lords, and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(Viscount Astor.)
On Question, Bill read 1a, and to be printed.

CITY OF LONDON (VARIOUS POWERS) BILL.
Read 2a.
TRENT FALLS IMPROVEMENT BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
HALIFAX CORPORATION BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

ALLOTMENTS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE PAYMASTER-GENERAL (THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND): My Lords, this
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Bill was introduced by a private Member in the House of Commons and was supported by members from all Parties. On the Second Reading the Secretary for Scotland stated that it was the outcome of a conference held in Edinburgh of the allotment holders' societies and that it received the fullest support of the Government. The Bill passed without opposition in the other place. The object of the Bill, which corresponds to one of the provisions of the English Bill which was passed in 1925, is to enable local authorities to incur expenditure within the limits of the produce of a penny rate for the provision of allotments. At present, under Section 16 of the Allotments (Scotland) Act, 1922, they are required to limit their expenditure to the amount that they may reasonably expect to obtain by way of revenue in respect of allotments. This Bill is purely permissive and, to remove any doubts on this point, the words "if they deem it expedient" were inserted in Committee in the third line of Clause 1. It is hoped that this Bill, by enabling local authorities who cannot at present provide allotments at rents within the means of those who need them to spend, if they think fit, a limited amount out of rates on the provision of allotments, will prove useful in supporting and stimulating the allotment movement, with all the benefits which it confers, particularly in urban communities.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Duke of Sutherland.)
On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (COUNTY BOROUGHS AND ADJUSTMENTS) BILL. [H.L.]
Order of the Day read for the Report of Amendments.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (THE EARL OF ONSLOW): My Lords, in moving that this Report be now received, I should like to take this opportunity of mentioning a serious loss that the Royal Commission on Local Government has sustained since the Committee stage of this Bill was before your

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Lordships' House. I refer to the death of Sir Walter Nicholas, which took place last week. Sir Walter took a very important part in the deliberations of the Commission and, of course, in the preparation of the Report. He represented the urban district councils and his loss will lie deeply felt by them and also by his colleagues on the Commission when they come to the second part of their inquiries. I have had letters from all my colleagues on the Commission asking me to take the first public opportunity of expressing the deep regret that they feel and the serious loss that the Commission has received, and also of
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expressing our sympathy with Sir Walter's relatives.
Moved, That the Report be now received.—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Motion agreed to and Amendments reported.

CRIMINAL APPEAL (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.]
Amendment reported (according to Order).
House adjourned at twenty-five minutes past four o'clock.