HL Deb 06 February 1930 vol 76 cc503-4
THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE)

My Lords, you will remember that just before the Christmas adjournment I mentioned that it would be necessary to make some such proposition as that which appears in the two Motions (one following the other) that are on the Order Paper. There is nothing in these Motions which is outside of what I referred to on that occasion, and unless any of yowl. Lordships desire that I should elaborate anything I will leave the matter there; merely reminding your Lordships that the ultimate result of the charging of these fees will be that in a Joint Committee the parties would have to pay very much less than they would pay should no Joint. Committee be agreed to and they therefore would be called upon to pay separate fees in the two Houses. Again, I would emphasise the fact that the fees of your Lordships' House are a very small proportion of the cost of obtaining an Act of Parliament as a Private Bill. At the same time to a great extent we are doing something to make it cheaper by these two Motions. I therefore submit the first Motion to your Lordships.

Moved, That the Schedule of Fees to be charged and taken in respect of Bills in the House of Lords referred to in Standing Order 147A be amended as follows:—

At the end of that part of the Schedule which refers to Local or Personal Bills insert:—

Joint Committees.

In the case of every Local Bill referred to a Joint Committee, whether by this House or the House of Commons, the following fees shall be charged and taken in respect of the Joint Committee:

For every day on which Counsel appear in support of Bill £5

For every day on which Counsel Agents or appear in support of a Petition £2

In the case of every Local Bill referred to a Joint Committee by this House the following further fees shall be charged and taken in respect of the Joint Committee:

Every Petition in favour of or against a Bill not praying to be heard £1

Every Petition praying to be heard against a Bill £2

Every Petition in favour of a Bill and praying to be heard against alteration therein £2

Order for attendance of witnesses, each witness £1

Every witness to whom an oath or affirmation is administered before a Committee 2s.

Committee on any Local Bill £5

Report, any Local Bill, with Amendment £4

Report, any Local Bill, without amendment £2

Report, Bill not to proceed £1

Order on Report that promoters do not intend to proceed further with Bill £1

—(The Earl of Donoughmore.)

On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.

THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE

My Lords, the second Motion refers to the procedure which will be followed when Bills are divided. We know that there will be some such cases submitted to your Lordships in due course. I beg, therefore, to make the Motion standing in my name.

Moved to resolve, That in case during the present Session of Parliament any Local Bill be divided before the Second Reading in this House into two Bills, the usual fees shall be charged in this House in respect of each of the two divided Bills, provided that there shall be remitted to the promoters in respect of the fees applicable to Second Reading and Third Reading in this House the excess, if any, of the fees charged on the two divided Bills over the fees which would have been charged on the Bill as read a first time in this House.—(The Earl of Dononughmore.)

On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.

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