§ Clause 34, page 28, line 30, leave out from ("shall") to ("to") and insert ("in the case of every pipe-line, be the duty of the owner thereof")
§ Clause 34, page 28, line 33, after ("given") insert ("(a)")
§ Clause 34, page 28, line 36, at beginning insert ("(b)")
§ Clause 34, page 28, line 39, after ("water") insert ("or flooding")
§ Clause 34, page 28, line 39, leave out ("and") and insert ("(c)")
§ Clause 34, page 28, line 45, at end insert ("and
§ (d) to any other authority, board or undertakers whom the Minister, by notice served on the owner of the line, requires him to treat, for the purposes of this section, as relevant in relation to the line, being an authority or board, or undertakers, in the case of whom it is stated in the notice that the Minister is satisfied that they will or may have, in consequence of the happening of the event, to take in the public interest steps for such purpose as may be specified in the notice")
§ Page 29, line 12, leave out from beginning to end of line 16 and insert—
- ("(b) in the case of any river board, river purification authority, statutory water undertakers or local water authority, to enable them efficiently to take, in consequence of the happening of the event, steps to prevent or combat pollution of water or flooding;
- (c) in the case of a sewerage authority, to enable them efficiently to take, in consequence of the happening of the event, steps for either of the purposes mentioned in paragraph (c) of that subsection;
- (d) in the case of any authority, board or undertakers whom the owner is, by a notice served under paragraph (d) of that subsection, required to treat, for the purposes of this section, as relevant in relation to the line, to enable them efficiently to take, in consequence of the happening of the event, steps for the purpose specified in the notice.")
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, these Amendments together are to enable the Minister to serve a notice on the pipeline owner requiring him to give the same immediate notification, and to provide similar information when requested, in respect of any authority, 157 board or undertaking who the Minister is satisfied may have to take the kind of urgent preventive action, as he would have to give to certain bodies specified in the Bill. It may be that in certain circumstances there will be other bodies who may be required to take some action in the event of a burst or a fire, or anything like that. It occurs to me immediately that underground railways could be in some danger from seepage from a pipe-line into tunnels. It might cause explosion or fire if they were not ready to take appropriate action if it occurred. There might be similar considerations with regard to the apparatus of gas boards or harbour authorities or a number of people who need not normally, in many cases, be brought in on this. This batch of Amendments gives the necessary power for the Minister to direct that they should be fully informed, as are the others. I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(Lord Chesham.)
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, we certainly welcome these provisions, but I would also welcome the fact that the Parliamentary draftsman seems to have been convinced of the advantages of breaking up his paragraph into little subparagraphs—(a), (b), (c) and (d). I would put the thought to the Minister that many Acts of Parliament might be easier for the layman to read if they were similarly broken up.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I will certainly convey that to the proper quarters. In the meantime, I am sure the Parliamentary draftsman will be delighted with the noble Earl's words.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.