HL Deb 04 August 1965 vol 269 cc278-80

2.53 p.m.

THE EARL OF LISTOWEL

My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. I should like to say just a few words of explanation about the Amendments I am proposing to Private Bill Standing Orders this afternoon. I think your Lordships will expect a short explanation of these Amendments and justification of them. Amendment No. 1 removes the last reference to the London County Council, consequent upon the passing of the London Government Act 1963, as a result of which it is replaced by the Greater London Council. Amendments Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 amend those Standing Orders which deal with deposit of Bills and relevant documents at various Government Departments. They provide for the deposit of those documents at the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, and Welsh Bills at the Welsh Office.

Amendments Nos. 6 and 7 deal with the Standing Orders which regulate procedure in respect of Orders made under the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act, 1945. These are the most important of the Amendments, and I will explain them as accurately as I can. Your Lordships may remember that during Committee stage of the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Bill on June 22 an Amendment was made to leave out subsection (4) of Clause 1 on the ground that its provisions could be better given effect to by means of Amendments to Standing Orders. The Amendment I am now moving is designed for this purpose. It provides that if the Chairmen of Ways and Means and myself feel, on consideration of a Petition for Amendment of a provision of a Special Procedure Order, that it will alter the scope of the Order, or affect the interests of other parties, we may warn the Joint Committee to which the Order is referred. The Amendment, however, specifically provides that the Chairmen's warning does not bind the Committee.

Lastly, Amendment No. 8 provides for an increase in the fees charged by the Official Shorthand Writer for attendance at proceedings on Private Bills and for the provision of transcriptions. These fees were last revised in 1960. The increases have been agreed to by the Treasury. To save the time of the House, I should like to take these Amendments en bloc. With your Lordships' permission, I will move that the Amendments set out in the Marshalled List be agreed to.

Moved, That the following Amendments to the Standing Orders relative to Private Bills, etc., effecting the Deposit of Bills and regulating procedure in respect of Orders made under the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945, be approved:

1 Standing Order 4A, line 38, leave out "the London County Council".

2 Standing Order 27, line 62, at end insert "and at the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources".

3 Standing Order 37, line 14, at end insert "and at the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources".

4 Standing Order 39, line 10, after "Insurance" insert "the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources".

4 Standing Order 39, line 64, at end insert:— (11) of every bill extending to Wales, at the Welsh Office, Parliament Street".

5 Standing Order 46, line 5, after "Government" insert "or Ministry of Land and Natural Resources".

6 After Standing Order 207 insert the following new Standing Order:

Special report by Chairmen

"207A—(1) Where the Chairmen certify that a Special Procedure Petition is proper to be received as a Petition for amendment but are of opinion that any amendment asked for would, if made, alter the scope of the Special Procedure Order or affect the interests of persons other than the Petitioner, they may make a special report to that effect.

(2) A special report made under this Order shall be laid before both Houses and shall stand referred to the Joint Committee on the Petition.

(3) A special report made under this Order may, without binding the Joint Committee, express the Chairmen's opinion on the extent to which effect should be given to any amendment to which the report refers and the steps that should be taken to bring that amendment to the notice of persons likely to be affected thereby."

7 Standing Order 208, leave out paragraph (2) and substitute the following new paragraph: (2)—If no such Memorial is deposited, but the Chairmen

  1. (a) are not satisfied that a Special Procedure Petition should be certified as proper to be received, or, if it is presented as a Petition for amendment, are not satisfied that it is such a Petition; or
  2. (b) are of opinion that a Special Procedure Petition contains matters on which they should make a special report under Standing Order 207A,
the Chairman shall give notice in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments of the time and place at which the Chairmen will further consider the Petition.

8 Table of Fees, page 99, line 34, leave out "5–13–6" and insert "6–10–6";

Table of Fees, page 99, line 35, leave out "6–14–6" and insert "7–14–6";

Table of Fees, page 99, line 37, leave out "1–9" and insert "2–3";

Table of Fees, page 99, line 38, leave out "2–9" and insert "3–2".—(The Earl of ListoweL)

On Question, Motion agreed to.