§ After Clause 7, insert the following new Clause:
§ Exception for emergency works
§ (".—(1) In the case of any works for the construction of a pipe-line or the diversion of a length of a pipe-line, being emergency works,—
- (a) the execution thereof may be effected without any authorisation of, or notice to, the Minister; but
- (b) as soon as is reasonably practicable after the works have been executed the person who executed them shall send to the Minister three copies of a map (whereof the scale shall not be less than that of six inches to the mile) on which is delineated the route taken by the line constructed or, as the case may be, the route taken by the portion of the line diverted; and
- (c) where the works were for the construction of a line, section three of this Act shall, with the substitution, for the reference in subsection (1) to the map there described, of a reference to the map referred to in the last foregoing paragraph, have effect for the purpose of authorising the diversion of a
138 length of the line as if it had been placed as mentioned in that subsection and, where the works were for the diversion of a length of line, the length shall for the purposes of that section be deemed to have been diverted in pursuance of subsection (1) thereof.
§ (2) If a person fails to send copies of a map in accordance with an obligation to which he is subject by virtue of paragraph (b) of the foregoing subsection, he shall, in respect of that failure, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.")
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I think it might be convenient to point out that Amendment No. 13 is a substantive Amendment, but Amendments Nos. 44, 46, 47, 63 and 64 are consequential upon it. The new clause, Amendment No. 13, provides for a carrying out of pipe-line works in cases of emergency. This Amendment is the one which does the job, the rest being as I say, merely consequential. As the Bill stands at the moment, there is no provision for the execution of pipe-line work which may be necessary at short notice as the result of some emergency. For example, it may be necessary to construct a new section to a pipe-line, to replace one that has cracked or burst. This may have to be done very quickly indeed because the flow of products up the pipe-line may cause some expensive damage or mischief to continuous industrial processes. Or it might be that there is a shortage of aviation spirit at some aerodrome or something like that. I do not think there can be much doubt that a provision on these lines is necessary, because otherwise a pipe-line owner might find himself breaking the law in an attempt to do what was only reasonable to avoid serious dislocation of some kind.
What the clause does is, first, to provide that the emergency works may be executed without any authorisation in the case of cross-country pipe-line or notice for a local one, but that as soon as possible thereafter the Minister shall be sent three maps showing what has happened; and where the works consist of the building of a new line the provisions of Clause 3, which deals with the diversion of pipe-lines, shall apply to it. I think this is a reasonable provision. It is not a complicated one. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Chesham.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.