§ [References are to Bill (66) as first printed for the Commons].
§ [Nos. 1–2]
§ Schedule 2, page 18, line 30, leave out second "and";
§ line 32, at end insert "and of any payment to the council pursuant to paragraph 33 of that Schedule".
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, with the leave of the House I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 en bloc. The purpose of these two small Amendments is to amplify the Amendment to the definition of "relevant expenditure" contained in subparagraph (b) of paragraph 57 of the second Schedule to the Bill. "Relevant expenditure" in this context represents the sum of money which a water authority spends on land drainage and recovers by way of a precept on the local authorities in the area. After the Bill had been published, the National Water Council drew our attention to the fact that "relevant expenditure" should also include an appropriate proportion of the contribution which a water authority is required by Schedule 5 to the Water Act 1973 to make towards the administrative and other costs of the National Water Council. This Amendment therefore adds to paragraph 57 of the second Schedule to this Bill the necessary words to achieve this purpose, thus bringing paragraph 57 into line with the 1973 Act.
For the record, I should explain to the House and apologise for the fact that in the second Amendment as printed for your Lordships, the word "council", meaning the National Water Council, should have been spelled with a capital "C" as it was in the original Commons Amendment and as it is in the 1973 Water Act. I am taking steps to ensure that this will be put right in the final printing of the Bill. I beg 900 to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(Lord Strabolgi.)
§ The Earl of MANSFIELDMy Lords, as the noble Lord has in effect said, this is a somewhat technical amendment to a thoroughly technical Bill. It really needs no comment from me. One can see by reading the second Schedule that it is a fairly straightforward matter and I think your Lordships would welcome this amendment.