Clause 43
Crossrail Bill
11:45 am
Stephen Hammond (Shadow Minister, Transport; Wimbledon, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 25, in clause 43, page 29, line 1, leave out subsection (2).
This is very much a probing amendment. Clause 43 is necessary and, as I am sure the Minister will point out, it repeats almost word for word what is in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996. However, just because there is a precedent does not mean that we should not examine the powers or redefine them.
The clause refers to the transfer of statutory powers and duties relating to works on land acquired by the Secretary of State for the purposes of Crossrail. It makes perfect sense that if the Secretary of State acquires such land he should also acquire any related statutory powers. I want to probe the Minister about exactly what subsection (2) adds to that process. It provides for
“the further transfer...of a power or duty transferred under subsection (1) or this subsection.”
Can he explain exactly what that is intended to mean in practice and what are the further transfers that he anticipates he needs the power to cover? In the spirit of this probing amendment, I hope that he can clarify that matter for me.