HL Deb 02 February 1967 vol 279 c1067

4.3 p.m.

Order of the Day read for the Report of Amendments to be received.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I beg to move that this Report be now received.

Moved, That the Report be now received.—(Lord Shepherd.)

LORD SALTOUN

My Lords, I should just like to say that, as a dweller in a London suburb, I cannot help regretting that Her Majesty's Government did not take this opportunity of introducing an annual election of one-third of borough councillors in councils where that system had prevailed before, because I feel that it tends towards continuity of administration and gives a slight bias in favour of wisdom and experience. I remember how eloquently, when they were in Opposition, they argued in favour of that course. I should not like to let this Bill pass altogether without just expressing that opinion.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, there is one thing about the noble Lord, Lord Saltoun, and that is that he is very consistent. I well remember his making this case, I think on the Report stage of what is now the London Government Act 1963. I do not think it is quite right to say that we on this side of the House, who were then sitting on the other side of the House, went all the way with the noble Lord. It certainly was a point in the case he made, but in the present circumstances in which this Bill has been introduced we could not make this major change.

On Question, Motion agreed to.