HL Deb 22 April 1937 vol 104 cc1038-9

Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The EARL OF ONSLOW in the Chair.]

Clauses 1 to 3 agreed to.

Clause 4:

Power to make Orders in Council applying the Act to fumigations with other gases.

4.—(1) His Majesty may by Order in Council apply the provisions of this Act, or such of those provisions as may be specified in the Order in Council, to fumigation with any substance other than hydrogen cyanide in like manner as they apply to fumigation with hydrogen cyanide, subject to such modifications (if any) as may seem to His Majesty to be desirable, having regard to the nature of the said substance.

THE MARQUESS OF DUFFERIN AND AVA moved, in subsection (1), to leave out "modifications (if any) as may seem to His Majesty to be desirable" and to insert "adaptations if any as may be necessary." The noble Marquess said: This clause as it originally stood gave His Majesty a very wide power of extending the provisions of the Bill by Order in Council to other substances. Power was given, as the clause was originally drafted, to make such modifications (if any) as may seem to His Majesty to be desirable, having regard to the nature of the said substance. It is quite obvious that as the clause stood it would have permitted substantial changes in the Bill to be made by Order in Council. It was felt that that was going a little too far. Accordingly, by this Amendment it is proposed to change the word "modifications" to "adaptations," which is of a very much more limited meaning. Moreover, only such adaptations will be permissible as are necessary. Therefore the clause as it is proposed to amend it would read: subject to such adaptations if any as may be necessary, having regard to the nature of the said substance. I move this Amendment as the result of conversations between His Majesty's Government and Imperial Chemical Industries, and I understand that the Amendment meets their view.

Amendment moved— Page 3, line 3, leave out from ("such") to ("having") in line 4 and insert ("adaptations if any as may be necessary")—(The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava).

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 4, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clauses agreed to.

Schedule agreed to.