§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY)My Lords, I do not think it is necessary for me to speak at length in regard to this Bill, which is entirely un-controversial. This ground has been the subject of numerous Acts of Parliament, starting from 1536, when the limits of the King's Palace at Westminster were expanded to cover the extensions being built, by King Henry VIII, until the Crown Estates Paving Act was passed in 1851, under which the powers and duties of paving, lighting, watering, cleansing and regulating the streets in question were vested in the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works and Public Buildings. Owing to the development of modern traffic, it is desirable that the responsibility for maintaining the roads, dealt with in this Bill, should now be transferrred from the Commissioners of Works to the road authority for the area—namely, the Westminster City Council.
The Commissioners of Works, not being a highway authority, are unable to claim any contribution from the Road Fund, and the entire cost of maintaining these roads has therefore had to be borne on money voted from public funds. The Westminster City Council will be under no such disability. Your Lordships will observe that Clause 1, subsection (1), paragraph (a) of the Bill, reserves all the existing rights and privileges of the Crown exerciseable by the Lord Great Chamberlain or by any other officer of State. The financial effect of the Bill will be to relieve the Crown of the cost of maintaining the roads, and the Westminster City Council will recoup themselves by charging the full rate generally applicable. Hitherto a reduction of 1s. in the £ per annum has been enjoyed 1023 by the ratepayers affected, in view of the fact that the Council did not maintain the streets in question. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Marquess of Londonderry.)
§ LORD OLIVIERMy Lords, I apprehend that, so far as this is a Financial Bill, we have no power to amend it. I should like, however, to have the position made perfectly clear. Will the effect of this Bill be to enable the Chancellor of the Exchequer to get a further pocketful out of the Road Fund at the expense of the Petrol Tax payers?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRYMy Lords, I hardly think that the suggestion that the noble Lord has made is correct. It is merely a question of transference from the Office of Works, who have hitherto maintained these roads, to the City of Westminster, who are the highway authority; and as the Government are the chief ratepayers in this district, it really means that the money which has hitherto been spent by the Office of Works will be paid to the City of Westminster, who will keep up the roadways in question.
§ LORD OLIVIERIt will be paid out of the Road Fund, instead of out of the Treasury?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY indicated assent.
§ LORD OLIVIERYes, I thought so.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed for Tuesday next.