§ 4.34 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee—(The Earl of Home.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House in Committee accordingly:
§ [The LORD MERTHYR in the Chair]
§ Clause 1 [Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust]:
§ On Question, Whether Clause 1 shall stand part of the Bill?
THE EARL OF HOMEI do not think this Bill arouses any controversy, but one point in subsection (5) of Clause 1 has been brought to my attention. We have had representations about the qualifications which should be possessed by any auditor appointed under subsection (5) to audit the accounts of the Research Trust. The detailed arrangements for auditing are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, and while I have no reason to imagine the appointment of any one other than a fully qualified auditor would be contemplated, I should like to give a more formal assurance that the Secretary of State will certainly use this power of approval to secure that no auditor is appointed who is not a member of one or other of the recognised bodies, as follows: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland; The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales; The Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors; The Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Sometimes these names are put in the Bill, but as this is a Bill in which accountancy plays a very small part, I think it is not necessary to make an Amendment. However, I gladly give the assurance.
§ LORD MILNEI thank the noble Earl for that assurance.
§ Clause 1 agreed to.
§ Remaining clauses and Schedule agreed to.
§ House resumed.
§ Bill reported without amendment.
1012§ 4.36 p.m.
§ Moved, That the Report be now received.—(The Earl of Home.)
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl in charge of the Bill this question? The noble Earl will remember that when the original Act was passed, these endowments, or a great proportion of them, were taken over to provide amenities for hospitals. Now I understand that these funds, or a great proportion of them, are to be taken for another purpose. I should like to ask the noble Earl whether the original purpose for which the endowments were taken over under the original Act will still be carried out by the Government.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, it is the intention of the Government that the original purpose should be carried out and such proportion as is given for research ought not to interfere with the amenities necessary for hospitals which have voluntary endowments.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.