HL Deb 05 June 1972 vol 331 cc155-7

10.12 p.m.

LORD REIGATE

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee on this Bill.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Lord Reigate.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The EARL OF LISTOWEL in the Chair.]

Clause 1 [Amendment of s. 30 of 1965 c. 51.]:

LORD ABERDARE

This Amendment will result in the present earnings rule being repealed when a new rule in Clause 1 takes its place. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 1, line 21, at end insert: ("(2) Section 2(2) of the National Insurance Act 1971 is hereby repealed.")—(Lord Aberdare.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.

LORD ABERDARE moved Amendment No. 2: After Clause 1, insert the following new clause:

Amendment of section 29 of 1966 c. 6 (N.I.)

.—(1) For section 29(7) of the National Insurance Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 there shall be substituted a subsection in the terms of that set out in section 1(1) above, but with the words section 44(a)" replaced by the words "section 43(a)"; and Article 2(2) of the Social Services (Parity) Order (Northern Ireland) 1971 is hereby repealed. (2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply for the purposes of the interpretation of this Act in its application to Northern Ireland as that Act applies for the purposes of the interpretation of an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland; and—

  1. (a) in section 104 of the National Insurance Act 1965 (which provides for establishing a unified system of insurance in Great Britain and Northern Ireland) references to Northern Irish legislation shall be deemed to include this Act as it applies to Northern Ireland; and
  2. (b) this Act shall, in so far as it relates to matters in respect of which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws, be deemed for the purposes of section 6 of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 to have been passed before the day referred to in that section as the appointed day."

The noble Lord said: These two Amendments extend the application of the Bill to Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Insurance scheme is virtually identical with the Great Britain scheme, and changes in this country's legislation are usually followed closely by Northern Ireland. As the Northern Ireland Parliament is at present prorogued the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked us to include preliminary provisions for that country in this Bill. I beg to move.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 2 [Short title, citation and commencement]:

LORD ABERDARE

This Amendment equally is to include Northern Ireland in the Bill. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 2, line 3, leave out subsections (2) and (3) and insert— (2) This Act as it applies to Great Britain may be cited with the National insurance Acts 1965 to 1971 as the National Insurance Acts 1965 to 1972, and shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint. (3) This Act as it applies to Northern Ireland may be cited with the National Insurance Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 to 1971 as the National Insurance Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 to 1972, and shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint; and in relation to that order the expression "rule-making authority" in the Statutory Rules Act (Northern Ireland) 1958 shall include the Secretary of State (and the order shall be a statutory rule within the meaning of that Act accordingly)."—(Lord Aberdare.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 2, as amended, agreed to.

LORD ABERDARE

This Amendment to the Long Title of the Bill corrects a minor technical deficiency. I beg to.

Amendment moved— In the Title, line 2, leave out ("1969") and insert ("1971").—(Lord Aberdare.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

LORD ABERDARE

This Amendment also covers the extension of the scope of the Bill to Northern Ireland. I beg to move

Amendment moved— Line 3, at end insert ("and to make parallel provision for Northern Ireland.")—(Lord Aberdare.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Title, as amended, agreed to.

House resumed: Bill reported, with Amendments.