§ After Clause 23, insert the following new clause:
§ Prohibition of change of use of pipe-line without previous notice to the Minister
§ (".—(1) It shall not, when a pipe-line constructed pursuant to a pipe-line construction authorisation or in accordance with a notice given for the purposes of subsection (1) of section two of this Act is first brought into use, be lawful for it to be used for the conveyance of any thing other than a thing of the particular kind, or things of the particular class, stated in the application for the grant of the authorisation or, as the case may be, the notice to be the kind of thing, or the things of the class, proposed to be conveyed in the line unless, not less than three weeks before the date on which it is so brought into use, notice of intention to use it for conveyance of that other thing when it is so brought into use has been given by the owner of the line to the Minister; nor shall it be lawful, after a pipe-line has first been brought into use, for a change to be made in the thing or class of things conveyed thereby unless, not less than three weeks before the change occurs, notice of the change (specifying in what it consists) has been given as aforesaid.
§ (2) In the event of a contravention, in relation to a pipe-line of the foregoing subsection the owner of the line shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.")
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, this Amendment drags with it Nos. 56, 57, 73, 75 and 93. It deals with two matters. First of all, it deals with change of ownership of a pipe-line; and, 152 secondly, it deals with change in use of a pipe-line. Under subsection (2) of Clause 35, where there is a change of use of a pipe-line the owner must inform the Minister within three weeks from the date the change takes place. It was thought that there had been criticism to the effect that the Minister ought to be notified before any change in use occurred, so that he could impose fresh safety requirements from that time if necessary. This new clause, with the consequent Amendments I mentioned, meets the criticism. It follows logically on the Amendments to Clause 22—that is No. 34 and so on—which will enable the Minister to prohibit or restrict the use of a pipe-line until alterations have been carried out An the interests of safety. A pipe-line, after all, may be safe when carrying one thing and unsafe when carrying another. So before there is a change the Minister should have this opportunity to consider whether he needs to exercise his powers under Clause 22. It also provides that the same period of notice has to be given to the Minister if, once a pipe-line has come into operation, its use is thereafter to be changed. I think, my Lords, this will meat with your Lordships' approval and views on this matter. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Chesham.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.