HL Deb 28 July 1977 vol 386 cc1170-1

1 Clause 1, page 1, line 12, leave out (" seventeen ") and insert (" fifteen ").

The Commons disagreed to the above Amendment for the following Reason:

2 Because the Commons consider the period of three years too short a period for the development of viable policies on the Control of Office Development.

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on their Amendment No. 1 to which the Commons have disagreed for the Reason numbered 2.

Moved, That the House doth not insist on the said Amendment to which the Commons have disagreed for the Reason numbered 2.—(Baroness Birk.)

Lord SANDYS

My Lords, we have before us a Commons Reason on this Amendment and it is, of course, the only Amendment which your Lordships have thought fit to attach to the Bill. Your Lordships will also remember that on Committee and on Report the Opposition sought to delete the whole provision of the office development permit and later modified it to a period either of two years or three years. It is significant that the Government, in speaking to this particular provision, mentioned especially the fact that it was very unfortunate that this time-scale should be attached at all. I believe that the noble Baroness, when she addressed your Lordships on our Amendment, was very concerned that the question of developers should be included and therefore she did rule it out of consideration that the Government should not be allowed the full period of five years. Throughout the consideration of this Bill we have sought to remove altogether the office development permit, and we believe that it will place upon office development a totally unnecessary constraint.

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, you will not wish me to state yet again the reason why the Government prefer a five-year period. We have gone over the arguments so often that they scarcely bear repeating. All I think I can say now is that the Government believe this control is necessary and that it should be continued and extended for a period long enough for the control to be of value. We therefore believe that five years is the only reasonable period for which to renew these powers.

On Question, Motion agreed to.