HL Deb 08 July 1958 vol 210 cc688-9

3.8 p.m.

Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. This is a Private Member's Bill, which was introduced in the other place by the Member for East Fife, Sir James Henderson-Stewart. It is approved of both by the Government and by the Opposition, and I do not think your Lordships will expect me to say more than a very brief word of explanation.

The Bill, which is not obligatory but only permissive, empowers local authorities, including rural district councils, either to erect bus shelters or, by arrangement with other people, to contribute financially towards the expense of doing so. A similar Bill for England was passed five years ago, but Scotland was left out of the Bill because the Scottish county councils at that time held the view rather strongly that bus shelters ought to be paid for only by the bus companies and that the ratepayers should not be asked to contribute, although the Scottish rural district councils took a different view and would have been willing to accept the Bill. The result has been that hardly any shelters have been built, and the county councils have now decided that there is no objection to their being allowed, if they so desire, to provide these shelters, which are often badly needed, especially on country roads, by school children and by older people who sometimes require protection against bad weather.

The Scottish poet, Robert Burns, once wrote an address to one of the ladies whom he loved, which began: O, wert thou in the cauld blast On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the angry airt, I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee. That is how one often feels when one is waiting for a bus in Scotland, and I am glad to commend this Bill to the approval of your Lordships.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Earl of Dundee.)

3.11 p.m.

LORD GREENHILL

My Lords, I should like to associate myself with the words of the noble Earl and to express approval of this Bill. I should also like to congratulate the fortunate drawer in the ballot in another place on being able to get this Bill through the other House as well as he has done. As the noble Earl has said, this is a permissive Bill. It gives all local authorities in Scotland powers which cities and large burghs already possess. It also adds, I think, a power which is possessed by cities and large burghs for giving permission, if it is so desired, to put up queue barriers and that sort of thing; and, provided that some of the possible difficulties in the erection of the shelters voiced by the Under-Secretary of State are foreseen, I think there will be no harm at all in giving approval to this Bill.

3.12 p.m.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (LORD STRATHCLYDE):

My Lords, the noble Earl, Lord Dundee, has explained the Bill with that brevity, and clarity which always makes his speeches in your Lordships' House so acceptable. This is a short and most useful measure. In addition to the authorities mentioned by the noble Earl, it has the approval of the local authority associations, the British Transport Commission, as representing the bus operators, and it was welcomed by all Parties in another place. In those circumstances, it only remains for me, speaking on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, to commend it to your Lordships and to express the hope that it may receive a unanimous and unopposed Second Reading.

On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.