§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE) had given Notice to move, That Standing Order No. 92 be dispensed with in respect of any Local Bill which on or before the 15th of January next has been certified by the Lord Privy Seal to contain provisions relating to works the execution of which would substantially contribute to the relief of unemployment; and to move to resolve, That no Petition praying to be heard upon the merits against any Local Bill so certified and originating in this House shall be received by this House unless the same is presented by being deposited in the Private Bill Office before three o'clock in the afternoon on or before Wednesday, the 12th of February next.
§ The noble Earl said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motions which stand in my name. I would move the first with the addition of one word. Before the word "relief," I wish to insert the word "early," so that it would read "contribute to the early relief of unemployment."
§ I think it may be convenient for your Lordships if I explain why the Motions are made. Some time ago His Majesty's Government communicated with me as regards the Private Bills of next year, in their anxiety to accelerate certain Bills—as a rule, I think, Bills promoted by local authorities—which will give powers involving works which, in being carried out, must obviously have an effect on the problem of unemployment. They are anxious, I understand, that probably about thirty Bills should be accelerated. Your Lordships, of course, are aware that our normal time-table 1122 begins on December 17 and ends in the month of July. I am speaking now of Private Bills only. There is no difficulty in accelerating that time-table. This year the vast majority of Private Bills received the Royal Assent by the month of May in view of the approaching General Election. The problem of accelerating about thirty Bills as compared with the ninety we had last year is not a very difficult one therefore, and this of course can be done without in any way scamping (if I may use the word) the proper consideration of Bills by your Lordships' House.
§ This Motion will save a week and it is not an unreasonable Motion. It advances the time of petitioning by a week, and advances it, I may say, to the date which now exists under the House of Commons Standing Order. Therefore I do not think it would be difficult for parties to conform to it. Other steps can be taken as and when it is necessary to take them; perhaps it is hardly necessary that I should elaborate them now. But your Lordships will see at once that we can cut down the time under the Standing Orders for the later stages of Bills, as we often do now for other reasons, and I am sure your Lordships will agree to do so next year when it is desirable. But there are two things I would like to mention. Of course this acceleration can only take place successfully with the co-operation of all concerned. I am quite sure that we have but to mention the problem to make it certain that we can rely on the support of the Parliamentary bar and of the agents in giving their advice to the parties. These Local Bills, of course, are affected by reports made by Government Departments to the House and it is very important that we should receive those reports before Committee stages of Bills take place. I am sure we may rely on the help of His Majesty's Government to accelerate those reports, if necessary, and to see that they are in your Lordships' hands at an early date.
§ There are, I think, only two other small points to which I should refer. I understand that some Bills may reach us next year—what will be technically known as late Bills, deposited after December 17. I, of course, cannot anticipate what your Lordships' Standing Orders Committee may think upon the point, but I am sure 1123 they would be anxious in this case to co-operate with His Majesty's Government, provided that these Bills are not very late, and provided that they reach us in reasonable time so that they may be considered during the Session. Lastly, I may advise the House in connection with these Bills to do one or both of two things. I may advise that we should agree with the other House in referring the Bills to Joint Committees; and I may advise the House when a Bill contains works and other contentious matters to divide those Bills into two.
§ That raises the question of the fees in your Lordships' House, and I think I ought to say, as regards Joint Committees fees, that I am discussing the matter with the authorities of another place, and I hope to arrive at an arrangement which will work fairly between the two Houses and at the same time be fair to the parties. Secondly, as regards the fees of split Bills, I am not forgetting that I may have to ask the House later to agree, if occasion arises, to adjust the Second Reading fee in this House—which is the principal fee payable—so as to meet the special circumstances of the case. Your Lordships, of course, will not forget that House fees are a very small proportion of the cost of getting a Private Bill through Parliament, but at any rate to that extent I am sure the House will be anxious to assist the parties. I can only say that personally, having received this communication from His Majesty's Government, I shall be only too anxious to co-operate with them, and therefore, as far as the formal stages are required at present, I move this Motion.
§ Moved, That Standing Order No. 92 be dispensed with in respect of any Local Bill which on or before the 15th of January next has been certified by the Lord Privy Seal to contain provisions relating to works the execution of which would substantially contribute to the early relief of unemployment.
§ Moved to resolve, That no Petition praying to be heard upon the merits against any Local Bill so certified and originating in this House shall be received by this House unless the same is presented by being deposited in the Private Bill Office before three o'clock in the afternoon on or before Wednesday, the 12th of February next.—(The Earl of Donoughmore.)
1124§ On Question, Motions agreed to, and ordered accordingly.