HL Deb 25 July 1969 vol 304 cc1197-8

[No. 3]

Clause 6, page 8, line 12, after "(d)" insert "(i)"

The Commons disagreed to this Amendment for the following Reason:

Because this Amendment places a limitation on the manufacturing powers of the London Transport Executive which would be appropriate only if, as is not the case, the Bill conferred on the Executive a general power to manufacture for the outside market.

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on its Amendment No. 3 to which the Commons have disagreed. The Government sought to meet the fears of noble Lords opposite by later Amendments on the Report stage, and I hope that noble Lords opposite will now feel so reasonably content as not to insist on their Amendment.

Moved, That this House doth not insist on the said Amendment to which the Commons have disagreed.—(Lord Shepherd.)

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, it is, I know, the view of my noble friend Lord Nugent that the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, did all that he could to meet us in moving Amendments to Clause 12 of the Bill which placed obligations on the London Transport Executive to include certain financial details about manufacturing in annual reports and which empowered the Minister to order any unprofitable marketing by the L.T.E. to discontinue. But even at this late stage I must point out that these Amendments fail to oblige the new L.T.E. to manufacture profitably. On this side we felt that this Amendment was desirable because under the Transport Act 1968 the national transport authorities are going to be able to re-sell L.T.E. products; and although the Government protested in both Houses that this would be contrary to their intentions, these good intentions are not contained in the Bill.

We can only hope that the alternative Government Amendments which Lord Shepherd moved to Clause 12 will be effective, and that with the fresh start provided by this Bill the London Transport Executive will take great care before committing capital to the manufacture of goods already to be found on the market.

On Question, Motion agreed to.