NORTHERN IRELAND LAND PUR CHASE (WINDING UP) BILL. (Hansard, 23 May 1935)

THE EARL OF FEVERSHAM

My Lords, this Bill is required because the transfer of agricultural tenanted land in Northern Ireland from landlord to tenant is about to reach its conclusion. The details of the Bill have been fully discussed and agreed with the Government of Northern Ireland, and the Bill may fairly be called non-controversial. It has passed through all its stages in another place without more than formal discussion, and I trust it may make an equally speedy progress in your Lordships' House. I need not remind your Lordships of the long history of land purchase in Ireland, beyond saying that prior to 1925 it was, in Northern Ireland, mainly on a voluntary basis. In that year an Act was passed providing for the completion of the transfer of tenanted land by an automatic procedure on a compulsory basis, which consists in transferring the land from the owner to the Land Purchase Commission and revesting it in the tenants. The first of these processes is practically completed, 1091 and it is anticipated that the second will be completed very shortly, except for isolated cases. It is therefore proposed by this Bill to put a stop to compulsory transfer after a short period of grace which will enable cases to be brought to notice which may have been previously overlooked.

Although the bulk of the allocation of the purchase money has taken place, it may have to continue in isolated cases for a considerable time, and provision for this is made in the Bill. As the scheme of compulsory transfer did not involve the repeal of the Acts providing for voluntary sale, it is also necessary to provide in the Bill for the cessation of voluntary transfer. Perhaps I may very briefly indicate the purport of the various clauses in the Bill. Clause 1, with the Schedules, provides for the cessation of advances and enables the Land Purchase Commission to be abolished when no longer required. It also maintains the existing financial arrangements, while leaving the Government of Northern Ireland free to inaugurate any new scheme of land purchase, provided that the financial consequences of sales under the existing schemes, in particular the term and amount of the annuities, are not affected. Clause 2 transfers to the High Court of Northern Ireland the allocation of purchase money and work in connection with it.

Clauses 3 and 4 transfer to the Ministry of Finance various administrative powers relating chiefly to rights over the land. Clauses 5, 7, and 10 transfer to other authorities the rule-making powers possessed by the Commission, the property held by them and their records. Clause 8 enables officers of the Commission to be transferred to the Supreme Court, and Clause 9 provides for the continuance of the Land Purchase Trustee. Clause 11 provides for the continuance of the arrangement by which expenses of the Commission are met out of moneys voted by Parliament and recovered from Northern Ireland, and Clause 12 enables Orders in Council to be made for any additional provision that may be found necessary when the Bill is in operation. I hope that, with that brief explanation, your Lordships will have sufficient information as to the meaning of the Bill, so that it can get to its next stage at the earliest possible date. I beg to move.