§ Order of the Day for Second Reading read.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, I must apologise for rising to speak to you a fourth time. This Bill concerns a Charity which is administered by the Westminster City Council. It consists of buildings which were built during the 19th century in a tiny court in Soho called Silver Place. The buildings, which were intended for female piece workers and others of the 163 labouring classes, have now become dilapidated. They are in the form of tenements. The lease does not expire until 1963, when, we are informed, the people who have the freehold do not wish to extend the lease. The accumulated funds for rebuilding are not enough to carry out a proper scheme; so the Council wish to build new blocks of flats for the people who are living there. They have a site in mind, and they propose that the rooms on the ground floor should be let for commercial purposes, thus bringing some money into the Charity, whereas the beneficiaries should live on the first and possibly the second floor if such is built.
There is some doubt in the Charity Commissioners' minds whether the funds of the Charity can be applied for letting, even though this would bring in more money for the Charity, and whether the preference given
to those who reside or have resided in the area of the Ancient Parish of St. James, Westminsteris a permissible variation; hence the Bill. The Bill has been published in the Parish of St. James and in the City of Westminster and there has been no opposition. I beg to move the Bill be read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Amulree.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a; Committee negatived.