§ LORD CHESHAM rose to move, That the Electricity (Staff Compensation) Regulations, 1959, be approved. The noble Lord said: My Lords, in moving that these Regulations be approved I will 300 ask leave of the House to speak also to the other Regulations standing in the name of my noble friend Lord Forbes, though I will formally move them separately afterwards. To save time, in view of the fact that the provisions of the Regulations are in substance identical, I think I can speak to both at the same time. Both sets of Regulations arise from the fact that in the first case the Minister of Power is required to make them under Section 27 of the Electricity Act, 1957, and in the second case the same Minister, jointly with the Secretary of State for Scotland, is required to make them under Section 12 (1) of the Electricity Reorganisation (Scotland) Act, 1954.
§ The Regulations provide for the payment by the Electricity Council, or by the South of Scotland Electricity Board, as the case may be, compensation to former employees of the Central Electricity Authority or the Electricity Boards concerned who may suffer loss of employment or be otherwise adversely affected in consequence of the respective Acts. The provisions follow closely the code of compensation which has been embodied in previous Regulations made under other Acts, and they are acceptable, after full consultation, to all the interests concerned, including the trade unions. The Regulations seek to deal comprehensively with all the circumstances which may arise, and they provide for payment of compensation as the Acts require, although it is thought that in an industry which is in fact expanding there will be very few cases where anyone concerned with those Boards will need to make a claim under the Regulations. I therefore commend them to your Lordships for approval and I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Electricity (Staff Compensation) Regulations, 1959, be approved.—(Lord Chesham.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.