HL Deb 27 July 1960 vol 225 cc859-60

Clause 10, page 11, line 5, at end insert— ("(6) The provisions of this section may be adopted in any urban district by resolution of the council, and shall thereupon (subject to any further resolution of the council revoking the adoption) have effect in relation to the district as if it were a borough. A council passing any such resolution shall transmit copies of it to the commissioners and to the Minister of Education, and to the council of the county in which the urban district is situated.")

Clause 11, page 11, line 35, leave out ("(6)") and insert ("(7)")

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I now move that this House doth agree with the Commons in Amendments Nos. 6 and 7. Your Lordships will observe that they follow suggestions, made by the noble Lord, Lord Chorley, in the Committee stage in this House, and on both sides of the Standing Committee, that urban district councils should be empowered to maintain indices and undertake reviews of local charities. As I indicated, the Government do not think that the facts justify urban districts being placed on precisely the same footing as boroughs. The figures of local charities provided by the Urban District Councils Association indicate an average of about five charities of all kinds per urban district. It is fair to say that some charities probably exist which have not come to the notice of the councils making the return; but even so the number existing in non-county boroughs is vastly more numerous; a sample count showed an average of 60 per borough.

On the other hand, this Act will last a long time, and urban districts of to-day may be the boroughs of twenty years hence. The Government have therefore agreed that individual urban districts, by taking certain formal steps, may assimilate their position to that of non-county boroughs, but they hope that before doing so a council will give proper consideration to the matter, consulting perhaps the Charity Commissioners and making sure that there is work it can usefully do. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

LORD SILK1N

My Lords, I only want to say, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Chorley, who is not here, that I am sure he will be very appreciative of the fact that his advice to the Committee of this House has been accepted by both sides in another place and that the substance of his Amendments is now before us and being accepted.

On Question, Motion agreed to.