§ 2.59 p.m.
§ The CHAIRMAN of COMMITTEES (Lord Aberdare)My Lords, I beg to 1601 move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. The House will recall that it agreed last Thursday to an Instruction on the London Transport Bill moved by the noble Viscount, Lord Simon, regarding the provisions for compensation payable to certain Church authorities in respect of the works authorised by Part II of the Bill. I have considered how best the Unopposed Bills Committee can give effect to the Instruction, and I have come to the conclusion that it would be an advantage to the committee if they could hear evidence from parties, other than the promoters, who are affected by the Bill. The present situation is that Private Bills Standing Order No. 124 provides that
A Committee on a Private Bill shall not, without express authority from the House, hear evidence other than that which may be tendered by any parties entitled to be heard".Your Lordships will appreciate that in the case of a Bill such as this, where there are no petitions against it, the committee might be at a disadvantage if they were limited to hearing only evidence submitted by the promoters, who would of course be the only parties entitled to appear before the committee. Therefore the purpose of the Motion to which I am asking the House to agree this afternoon is to give the committee on this Bill the authority to hear extra evidence, should they wish to do so, in addition to that of the witnesses called by the promoters. My Lords, I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the committee to whom the Bill is referred may hear evidence other than that tendered by the promoters. —(Lord Aberdare.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.