Mr Arthur Skeffington: If I may reply briefly to the points hon. Members have made, I think that so far as the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page) is concerned, we have not only gone half-way. The Amendments I moved went further than he had anticipated, and it does mean to say that anybody now with a leasehold interest of five years is in a position to apply for grant. So really we have gone one and a half...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I beg to move Amendment No. 15, in page 4, line 18, at the end to insert 'or other building'.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: The Amendment honours an undertaking I gave in reply to an argument advanced by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Aston (Mr. Julius Silverman) to the effect that there might be doubt about whether grants could apply when a building was being converted into more than a certain number of storeys. The Government were satisfied about it, but we wish to make it clear beyond peradventure...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: May I begin by saying that I understand why the hon. Member for Walsall, South (Sir H. d'Avigdor-Goldsmid) my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. William Wells) and the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Sir E. Boyle) have sought this opportunity to ventilate the genuine grievances of many of their constituents as the result of the matters which both have...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I would be grateful if the hon. Gentleman could show which of the Amendments, which I do not recall, went to the issue of the marriage of the interests, which is the substance of the Amendment.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: We have had a very interesting debate and I would like to thank the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page) for the very moderate way in which he has moved his Amendment and greeted the Government's new Clause. He was not exactly enthusiastic for it but he seems to see that there is a definite need for something to be done. He was more generous on this occasion than the hon. Member for...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: This is a factor which is and always must be taken into account. Whether the Minister ought to take powers under the proposed Amendment, by Order to specify these and then presumably to alter them from time to time is a major question to which I should like to devote a good deal more thought. This point is apposite to my hon. Friend's intervention. This is a most unusual Amendment coming...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: If we have to add any further qualifications to the new Clause in another place, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will prevail upon his hon. Friends to support any Amendment we may make to avoid any mischief which, sarcastically or otherwise, might arise. I think that it would be very difficult for the Minister to have this power. With the framework that we have, and because of the experience...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I agree with what my hon. and learned Friend says. It might have been better, from the Government's point of view, if those two cases could have been decided by the county court, but when one looks at the arguments and details of them, one realises the expertise of the tribunal, and appreciates that it is something one could not lightly thrust aside. Of course, county courts deal with some of...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: My hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East (Mr. Conlan) has pursued this matter on behalf of his constituents with very great and praiseworthy persistence. Although he has many other claims to fame in Gateshead and in this House, I tend to associate him with the undoubted hardship which a number of his constituents have suffered ever since this process in the factory was established in...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I agree with the hon. Gentleman. Certainly in the past these matters have been even more unsatisfactory. We have made a number of changes in the 1968 Act which will be helpful. There are two points which should help my hon. Friend. My hon. Friend asked me whether the regulations were satisfactory in the sense that the planning authority obviously had not been aware of the full details of the...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: It is essential to make the best use of building land, and my right hon. Friend was satisfied that an increase in density from six houses to 10 houses an acre would not prevent the establishment of a balanced community. The appeal was rejected because the site merited a high standard of design and the proposed housing layout was not of a quality which my right hon. Friend could endorse.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: The hon. Gentleman may not fully understand the planning processes—
Mr Arthur Skeffington: The original decision here, which was taken by the local authority, was then examined at a public inquiry. Certain recommendations were made by the inspector. It is then my right hon. Friend's duty to evaluate those recommendations and come to his conclusions. That is what he has done in this case.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I will send my hon. Friend available information about past studies. The working party on refuse disposal, which my right hon. Friend set up in 1967, is now making a broad study which covers the question of recovery. In the meantime I do not think that the setting up of a centralised body in this field is desirable.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I am well aware that considerable improvement could and should be made in many parts of the country. For this reason my right hon. Friend has set up a working party.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: This type of expenditure attracts rate support grant. My right hon. Friend has no power to make a specific grant.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: There are a large number of schemes coming forward all the time for the provision of swimming baths, and permission is being given for these as rapidly as possible in accordance with the resources available. If the officials of the two authorities mentioned by my hon. Friend would like to consult my Department, we would be pleased to help in any way we can.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: This is the sort of case where the local authority will have considered a revocation order. If my hon. Friend will get in touch with us about this we shall be glad to give such advice as we can.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: There is a case for moving along the lines of the suggestion by the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe). In fact, this was part, although only part, of the matters investigated by the Maritime Conference.