Orders of the Day — Local Government (Development and Finance) (Scotland Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 June 1964.
Mr Alexander Hendry
, Aberdeenshire West
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.
The Bill, which is a very lengthy one, contains a number of very miscellaneous provisions giving new powers to local authorities, particularly to smaller local authorities. It makes some very useful provisions for the finance of local authorities, and generally speaking meets a number of wishes expressed by local authorities over recent years.
The Bill caused a great deal of work in the Scottish Standing Committee. The Committee met on no fewer than thirteen occasions. As a result of the Committee's deliberations, the Bill is now in a vastly different form from that in which it last left the House. It has, I believe, been greatly improved by the labours of hon. Members on both sides, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude.
I should like to express my gratitude to the Chairman of the Committee, who was very patient and tolerant and helped us a great deal with his wisdom. I should also like to express my gratitude to the officials, who helped us during the Committee stage. I have no hesitation in saying that the Bill will be greatly welcomed by local authorities in Scotland, of whatever nature, and I commend it to the House.
Miss Betty Harvie Anderson
, Renfrewshire East
It may seem strange that I should wish to speak at this stage and, in particular, to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeenshire, West (Mr. Hendry) for the extensive amount of hard work he has put in on this Measure. It is equally true that I could scarcely be said to have been one of my hon. Friend's main supporters, for I have throughout been a strong critic of the Bill.
The fact that certain of my fears have been allayed during the lengthy and prolonged discussions in Committee is evidence that I should wish to comment on it now and, particularly, to remark on the first part of the Bill, which seeks to do great good. The provisions in Part I will undoubtedly bring great satisfaction to many people in Scotland, especially those who do so much hard and valuable work on district councils. It will also increase the powers available to these councils, which is something which will be universally welcomed and which, I am sure, the district councils will use with both discretion and an awareness of the need to advance their areas. This applies particularly to Clauses 2 and 3.
It would be unwise of me to go further in my comment and to discuss the financial provisions of the Bill, because it is here that I have had the greatest difference of opinion with my hon. Friend. Nevertheless, considering the scattered and sparcely populated areas of Scotland, I am sure that the Bill will make a considerable contribution. As the Measure makes clear, we are increasingly dependent on trade brought by tourists. The Bill is designed to make amenities more attractive to them and I know that the enthusiasm of councils in wishing to make these improvements will be aided by the Bill and I also know that they will not lose time in implementing its provisions.
If I have certain reservations about the second and third parts of the Measure, and the financial provisions, I am sure that the Bill goes some way towards providing us with the sort of legislation which is increasingly necessary nowadays; to provide local authorities, district councils in particular, with power to improve the amenities of the countryside.
Mr Gordon Campbell
, Moray and Nairnshire
Before we complete our discussion of the Bill I, too, would like to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeenshire, West (Mr. Hendry) on having introduced it and for having so ably piloted it through the House.
As has been said, the Bill contains some useful provisions, which will be generally welcomed by local authorities in Scotland. My hon. Friend has taken immense trouble to meet many of the points made in Committee and I am sure that all hon. Members who represent Scottish constituencies are grateful to him for his labours.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
In a normal session there are up to ten standing committees on bills. Each has a chair and from 16 to 50 members. Standing committee members on bills are appointed afresh for each new bill by the Committee of Selection which is required to take account of the composition of the House of Commons (ie. party proportions) as well as the qualification of members to be nominated. The committees are chaired by a member of the Chairmen's Panel (whose members are appointed by the Speaker). In standing committees the Chairman has much the same function as the Speaker in the House of Commons. Like the Speaker, a chairman votes only in the event of a tie, and then usually in accordance with precedent. The committees consider each bill clause by clause and may make amendments. There are no standing committees in the House of Lords.
