§ 3.16 p.m.
§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time.
§ Moved, that the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Earl of Listowel.)
§ LORD DAVIES OF LEEKMy Lords, I do not wish to detain the House very long on this Bill, but being a ratepayer of the City of Stoke-on-Trent and a Sudeten Welshman who has earned his living for a while in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, I think your Lordships should know what we are doing here. It is a praiseworthy effort on behalf of the Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, the Mayor and his officials, to use incinerators which will improve the environment and thereby earn some money for the good ratepayers of Stoke-on-Trent by selling the steam to the Michelin Rubber Company. I am also glad to see that there is protection in the Bill for all the ratepayers if their roads, gateways and gardens are thrust aside by a too active corporation in its effort to sell steam. Finally, while welcoming the Bill I hope that the present Government will one day get some steam to improve the environment in which we are living in great difficulty these days.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his comments on the Bill.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to the Committee on Unopposed Bills.