HL Deb 11 November 1975 vol 365 cc1771-2

[Nos. 15 and 16]

Clause 40, page 39, line 34, leave out ("Secretary of State considers and the Treasury agree") and insert ("Treasury considers").

The Commons disagreed to this Amendment for the following Reason:

Because it would alter the financial arrangements made by the Commons, and the Commons do not offer any further Reason trusting that this Reason may be deemed sufficient.

Lord BALOGH

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on their Amendment No. 15 to which the Commons have disagreed for the Reason numbered 16. The arguments have been well ventilated. Your Lordships had a useful discussion on it, and your Amendment gave the other place an opportunity to reconsider their view. The other place have, however, after careful debate reaffirmed their earlier view. This is based largely on the considerations, which I put to your Lordships, that since the general management and control of the Account are the responsibility of the Secretary of State, it would be unfair both to him and the Treasury, for the Treasury to be responsible for just one aspect of it. The Amendment raises a question of Commons privilege. I assume, in accordance with longstanding precedent, that we shall not seek to infringe the privilege of another place.

However, I should like to give an assurance to the noble Lord that expenditure from the Oil Account as from any other public account is under overall strict control from the Treasury, and will remain so. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House doth not insist on Amendment No. 15 to which the Commons have disagreed for the Reason numbered 16.—(Lord Balogh.)