HL Deb 26 November 1930 vol 79 cc359-60

Amendment reported (according to Order).

Clause 3:

Expenses of Colonial vessels and naval forces while at disposal of His Majesty.

3.Nothing in this Act or any Order in Council made thereunder shall be taken to authorise the payment out of the revenues of the United Kingdom of any expenses incurred in equipping or maintaining any vessel, officers or men placed at the disposal of His Majesty under this Act, or in providing the pay, wages, pensions, grants or other emoluments of any such officers or men or of their wives, widows, children or other dependants, but any such expenses may be so paid, if, and so far as, the Commons House of Parliament hereafter think fit to make provision by Resolution for that purpose.

LORD PASSFIELD had given Notice of an Amendment to leave out "the Commons House of Parliament hereafter think fit to make provision by Resolution" and to insert "moneys may be provided by Parliament in any year."

The noble Lord said: My Lords, this Amendment, I hope, will meet the objection taken by the noble Viscount, Lord Bertie, and the noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury, yesterday. As I explained, or attempted to explain, this was a draftsman's complexity and ingenuity and I want to withdraw whatever the draftsman meant me to say yesterday. I am sure I said it very imperfectly. He has now—and I have accepted it—produced a draft which goes back to the old phrase. Whatever the draftsman was attempting to do, and I think I understand what he was attempting to do, would have been a good thing. At the same time, the phrase used was unfortunate, and I am very glad to go back to the old phrase, and to move the Amendment as printed, that "moneys may be provided by Parliament in any year" for that purpose. That I am told is the nearest way of getting back to the old phrase and it is the phrase to which your Lordships are accustomed. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 3, line 32, leave out from ("as") to ("for") in line 34, and insert ("moneys may be provided by Parliament in any year").—(Lord Passfield.)

VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAME

My Lords, I desire to express my thanks to the noble Lord for having met the point which I raised yesterday. I cannot agree with him, however, that it would have been a good thing to leave it as it was. I think that would have formed a very bad precedent.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.