HL Deb 07 July 1932 vol 85 cc722-4

Order of the Day for the consideration of Commons Amendments read.

VISCOUNT BRIDGEMAN

My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons Amendment be now considered.

Moved, That the Commons Amendment be now considered.—(Viscount Bridgeman.)

VISCOUNT BRIDGEMAN

My Lords, perhaps I ought to say a word or two about the history of these Amendments. The Bill was originally passed in your Lordships' House for the purpose of effecting economies in the gas industry by enabling gas companies to co-operate with one another in the working up and the marketing of by-products and also to enable gas companies to save expenses in Private Bill legislation and to make economies generally. It was hoped that in that way these by-products would be produced more cheaply and that gas companies would be helped in the keen foreign competition they had to face. The Bill passed this House without dissent and it went to the House of Commons where it was read a second time. Then a Departmental Committee of the Board of Trade, with Mr. Wrottesley, K.C., as Chairman, recommended the inclusion of municipal gas undertakings as well as gas companies. These Amendments, numbering about a dozen and covering three printed pages, were inserted in the House of Commons in order to include municipal undertakings in the provisions of the Bill. All these Amendments are directed to that end and are either drafting Amendments or Amendments consequential on the introduction of municipal authorities into the Bill. I should point out that there is a printing error on page 2. In paragraph (ii) the word "to" should appear at the end of the third line so that the paragraph should read "in its application to those undertakings." As these Amendments all have the same purpose and as I understand the Government approve of them and they carry out the recommendations of various Committees and Royal Commissions, perhaps we may take them altogether. If your Lordships will allow me I will therefore move them collectively and ask your Lordships to approve of them all.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(Viscount Bridgemen.)

LORD TEMPLEMORE

My Lords, before this question is put I should like to say a very few words on behalf of the Government. The Amendments which we are now considering were made at the instigation of the Government in order to bring the Bill into line with the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee of the two Houses set up to consider the matter. That Committee was presided over by my noble friend Lord Marks, and I think it sat on May 5 and 6 last. I think, and I think most of your Lordships will think, that certain Bills which come up to this House from the House of Commons are better Bills when they have passed through this House. In the case of this Bill I think it is a better Bill now that it has passed through the House of Commons. The Amendments made in it are fully accepted by the interests concerned and are entirely acceptable to the Government.