§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
LORD ALNESSMy Lords, I think that I can commend this modest measure to your Lordships' House for Second Reading with becoming brevity. The purpose and the effect of the Bill is to stabilize the Exchequer grants which are made to local authorities in Scotland under the Scottish Local Government Acts of 1929 and 1937 until such date after the end of the war as Parliament may determine. Prima facie I suggest that that sounds a reasonable proposal. But it is reinforced by three considerations which I shall content myself by mentioning without elaborating. In the first place, a corresponding measure to this for England is already on the Statute Book. In the second place, the Bill of which I am now moving the Second Reading has been drafted after consultation with the three local authority associations in Scotland, who approve of the stabilization which the Bill proposes. In the last place, the Bill received unanimous acceptance when it was debated in another place. In those circumstances I think it would not be right to detain your Lordships' House further, and therefore I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Alness.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a committee of the Whole House.