§
[The references are to Bill No. 72.]
In the Title, page 1, line 8, after ("1909") insert ("to amend the law with respect to the powers of local authorities to provide public service vehicles").
EARL RUSSELLThis is an Amendment to alter the title by putting in the words "to amend the law with respect to the powers of local authorities to provide public service vehicles," and you may think it convenient to take a general discussion on the point now. This is put in to justify Part V of the Bill, which was taken out in this House. As your Lordships probably know that Part, which was very contentious here and upon which we divided, was ultimately agreed to in another place, after pro-longer negotiations, by all the parties concerned. It does not correspond with that Part of the Bill when it was before your Lordships, nor with the Bill which had also arisen in another place dealing with some similar powers and ordered by Instruction in another place to be inserted in the Bill. It is the result of a compromise between all parties concerned, local authorities, persons running services on the road, railway companies, and, I think, all political Parties, and in the result it passed through Committee in another place, after a brief discussion, with general assent. I hope your Lordships will assent to it to-day. It does not entirely satisfy everybody but, of course, no compromise ever does, and that probably is its best justification. This is the first Amendment, which enables us to insert that Part in the Bill.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Earl Russell.)
§ VISCOUNT BRENTFORDMy Lords, I have seen the Minister of Transport in the late Conservative Government who had charge of the Bill in another place, and he and those working with him are quite satisfied with Part V of the Bill. Your Lordships will remember that we threw out the whole of Part V in this House, but considerable modification has taken place, and there has been full discussion with all the parties interested. I think Part V, as it now appears in the Amendments from the Commons, is such that it is not necessary to raise any further objection to it.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.