HL Deb 11 December 1928 vol 72 cc481-4

Read 3a (according to Order).

Clause 7:

Removal of name from Register.

(2) For the purpose of holding any inquiry under this section as to whether any person registered under this Act has been guilty of any conduct disgraceful to him in a professional respect and at which inquiry such person shall be entitled to be heard, there shall be appointed annually a committee to be called "the Discipline Committee" consisting of seven members, three members being persons registered under this Act to be appointed by the Council, one member appointed by the Minister of Health, one member appointed by the President for the time being of the Law Society, one member appointed by the Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, and one member appointed by the Ulster Society of Architects (Incorporated), and the Council shall convene a meeting of the Discipline Committee from time to time whenever necessary to hold any such inquiry.

THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY moved, in subsection (2), to substitute "eight members" for "seven members" The noble Marquess said: My Lords, in speaking to this Amendment I will deal also with the other Amendment which is on the paper in my name. I have been asked by the promoters of the Bill whether I would agree to His Majesty's Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings, who are of course very interested in the question of architectural qualifications as in all questions concerning the fine arts, being joined with the Ministry of Health and the public bodies which are mentioned in subsection (2) of Clause 7 in connection with the Discipline Committee which is to deal with matters of professional or other misconduct by architects on the register. His Majesty's Office of Works has no objection to undertaking the duty of nominating a member of the Committee and the Government approve of this course provided that the promoters are of one mind as to its being desirable. This, I am assured by my noble friend [the Earl of Crawford] who sponsors this Bill in your Lordships' House, they do consider desirable. The consequence will be that the numbers of the Committee will be increased by the member appointed by His Majesty's Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings from seven to eight. I bog to move the first Amendment which appears in my name on the Paper.

Amendment moved— Page 5, line 5, leave out ("seven") and insert ("eight").—(The Marquess of Londonderry.)

THE EARL OF CRAWFORD

My Lords, I agree very readily with this proposal.

EARL BEAUCHAMP

My Lords, I do not rise to offer any opposition. My object is to point out to the noble Marquess the Leader of the House that it is inconvenient with Hills of this kind when two Government Departments make their Amendments independently of one another. It used to be the case that any Amendments necessary were moved by the Minister who was looking after the Department which was directly concerned, and if you had other Amendments suggested by other Departments, they were always proposed by the Minister in charge of the Bill or who was looking after the Bill though not in charge of it, as is so in this case. It is apt to lead to a little confusion sometimes if different Departments put down independent Amendments which may not always agree with one another.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

I will, as I always do, take special notice of any observation of the noble Earl. I do not gather that on the present occasion my two colleagues are in contradiction of one another.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY moved, in subsection (2), before "the Minister of Health," to insert "the Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings, one member appointed by the." The noble Marquess said: My Lords, this Amendment is consequential on the one your Lordships have just passed.

Amendment moved— Page 5, line 8, after ("by") insert ("the Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings one member appointed by the").—(The Marquess of Londonderry.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 11:

Use of Title.

11. Any registered person shall be entitled to take and use the name or title of "Registered Architect," but a person shall not practise in Great Britain or Northern Ireland under any name, title or style containing the words "Registered Architect," unless he is a registered person.…"

LORD DESBOROUGH moved to leave out "in Great Britain or Northern Ireland." The noble Lord said: My Lords, I have every reason to think this Amendment has been accepted by my noble friend [the Earl of Crawford] and if it is in order I should like to speak at the same time to this Amendment and the one following it, which is consequential. My first Amendment is to leave out the words "in Great Britain or Northern Ireland." The object of it is to preserve the rights of Northern Ireland. The Bill as drafted extends to Northern Ireland and perhaps it would have been usual to have had a separate Bill upon a matter dealing with subjects which come under the purview of the Parliament of Northern Ireland. In this case the Government of Northern Ireland have been communicated with. They are anxious that this Bill should extend to them, and with the now clause which I propose to insert later, they are in hearty agreement with the passing of this Bill, subject to their right being preserved under the Constitution which has been granted to them.

Amendment moved— Page 5, line 41, leave out ("in Great Britain or Northern Ireland").—(Lord Desborough.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 21

Application of Act to Northern Ireland.

21. In the application of this Act to Northern Ireland—

  1. (a) the expression "High Court" means the Supreme Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland;
  2. (b) for the purpose of enabling the Parliament of Northern Ireland to repeal or alter the provisions of this Act in its application to Northern Ireland, this Act shall be deemed to have been passed prior to the appointed day referred to in the Government of Ireland Act, 1920.

LORD DESBOROUGH moved to leave out Clause 21 and insert:— .—(1) This Act shall not extend to Northern Ireland unless and until provision to that effect is made by an Order of His Majesty in Council made in pursuance of a resolution passed by both Houses of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, and any such Order may make such adaptations of this Act in its application to Northern Ireland as may appear to His Majesty in Council to be necessary. (2) In the event of this Act being so extended to Northern Ireland, then, for the purposes of section six of the Government or Ireland Act, 1920, this Act shall be deemed to be an Act passed before the appointed day. The noble Lord said: My Lords, this Amendment, as I have already stated, is consequential.

Amendment moved— Page 9, leave out Clause 21 and insert the said new clause.—(Lord Desborough.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.