HL Deb 08 June 1945 vol 136 cc524-6

12.6 p.m.

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

LORD ALNESS

My Lords, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is at present attending a Cabinet meeting, I beg to move that this House do resolve itself into Committee on this Bill.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee. —(Lord Alness.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly: Bill reported without amendment.

Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended (in pursuance of the Resolution of May 29):

LORD ALNESS

My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill be read a third time.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a —(Lord Alness.)

LORD TEVIOT

My Lords, I wish to say just a very few words on the Third Reading of this Bill. As Chairman of the National Joint Council of Scotland, which is the equivalent of the Burnham Committee here, I wish to thank the Government for giving us this Bill in this Session. It would have meant serious complications in the implementation of the scales of salaries which the National Joint Council has agreed to had we not had it. I would like also to take this opportunity of thanking my noble friend the Secretary of State for his kindly references to the efforts of the National Joint Council, and incidentally to myself, the other day. I thank him very much for those remarks, and I will convey what he said to the National Joint Council.

Before sitting down I wish to put forward this suggestion. Your Lordships know how every day you see children being transported from the country into the towns to receive their teaching. Now I would like to see the process reversed. I hope that in the building of new schools which are proposed in this Bill opportunity will be given for them to be erected in the country, so that the children shall be taken from the towns into the country to receive their education. It is far better for them to play on grass rather than on asphalt. I hope that the Secretary of State and others in authority in Scotland will bear this suggestion in mind, and if possible carry it out.

LORD ALNESS

My Lords, I should like to say, in answer to my noble friend, that I shall have great pleasure in conveying to my noble friend the Secretary of State the valuable suggestion which had just been made.

On Question, Bill read 3a, and passed.