§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, this is a small Bill which has been introduced in order to amend the Local Government Superannuation Acts, 1937, in three quite minor particulars in which it has been found that they do not carry out the intentions of Parliament. Clause 1 deals with reci- 652 procity as between England and Scotland, which it was found had been lost largely owing to an error of drafting in the 1937 Act. There was reciprocity under the Act of 1922 which governed local government superannuation until the passing of the Act of 1937, and owing to the repeal of the Act of 1922 without any provision being made to retain reciprocity, it has been found that local government officials who left the service in Scotland for England, or vice versa, would lose their rights of superannuation. Clause 2 deals with the position of certain asylum attendants whose rights again, owing to an error of drafting, would be forfeited under the Act of 1937, while Clause 3 deals with officials who have passed from the service of local authorities to that of certain statutory undertakings. It deals, in fact, very largely with a considerable number of local government employees who have passed into the service of the London Transport Board. The Bill is, I think, entirely non-controversial; indeed it may be described as a drafting Bill, and I hope your Lordships will agree to give it a Second Reading.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
§ House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes before five o'clock.