HL Deb 12 June 1990 vol 520 c157
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)

My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

Perhaps I should give a brief explanation of the Motion. Under private business Standing Order No. 25, promoters of a Private Bill authorising the construction of a tramway must obtain the consent of the local authority of each area through which the tramway is to run. The promoters of the present Bill were unable to obtain the consent of Bristol City Council before they appeared in the usual way before the Examiner of Private Bills. For that reason the Examiner certified non-compliance with Standing Order No. 25 and the petition for the Bill was accordingly referred to the Standing Orders Committee.

The standing order, however, sets no time limit by which local authority consent must be obtained and a certificate has been deposited to the effect that the city council has now given its consent to the proposed Bill. The promoters are therefore now in a position to prove compliance with Standing Order No. 25 before the Examiner and, if your Lordships agree to this Motion, the proposed Bill will be duly referred back to the Examiners.

Moved, That the reference of the Examiner's Certificate to the Standing Orders Committee of 18th December last be discharged and that the Petition for the Bill be referred again to the Examiners.—(The Chairman of Committees.)

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, does the noble Lord agree that there was resistance to this because local authorities in general are becoming increasingly angry it organisations by-passing the local planning authorities by promoting Private Bills in the other place is well as in your Lordships'. House? When shall we end this situation in which the local people literally have no say in such matters?

The Chairman of Committees

My Lords, that is a rather different question, which raises the whole position with regard to Private Bills. The fact of the matter in this case is that Bristol City Council have now agreed to this Bill.

On Question, Motion agreed to.