Sir James Grant: I beg to second the Amendment. My hon. Friend who has proposed the Amendment told us that if it were not accepted he would lose his seat. That would be a result which would be very deeply deplored in his constituency, and I do not anticipate any such disaster. I quite understand that when this question was shortly discussed in Committee, my right hon. Friend indicated that he did not desire...
Sir James Grant: Another point is the geographical point. Our county councillors, in carrying out their duties, have to go to the capital town of Nairn, and on the day of the county council meeting there is the ordinary weekly market where our county councillors can carry out their private business as well as their public duties. Under the Bill, if there is amalgamation, they will have to go to Elgin for...
Sir James Grant: 18. asked the Secretary of State for War whether, if the site of Chilwell is not to be used for departmental purposes, he will at once consider the desirability of allowing business people to acquire spaces for private enterprise at that centre?
Sir James Grant: Can the right hon. Gentleman say if a decision will be come to within a week's time?
Sir James Grant: 48. asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the large number of unemployed for whom no work is in sight, the Government will consider a comprehensive scheme or schemes of national importance, such as road-making, to meet the emergency?
Sir James Grant: Though I desire to make some criticism of the incidence of this duty, I think, broadly speaking, it is a good duty. I wish to call attention to the hardship it entails upon a certain industry. I refer to the motor omnibuses, which play so important a part in the transport of passengers throughout the country, and the burden that falls on these public utility companies which use these...
Sir James Grant: I was not aware of that fact. I was dealing more with the industry in country districts. I say fares were reduced before the duty was put on to the lowest terms economically possible. One of the most important raw materials of the industry is petrol. A further thing that these public utility companies have to keep in mind is that the present price of petrol is low. They have to keep in mind...
Sir James Grant: In a year's time.
Sir James Grant: Can the hon. Gentleman also inform himself on the reduction of fares?
Sir James Grant: 34. asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the delay by the Board of Trade in issuing the Regulations under the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act, 1936, which would affect the sale of petrol from petrol pumps: and the cause of such delay?
Sir James Grant: Can my hon. Friend give any date when these Regulations will be issued, in view of the fact that we have been waiting for them for 2⅓years?
Sir James Grant: I am sorry that I find myself in disagreement with my very old friend the right hon. Member for Wells (Sir R. Sanders). I take the very opposite view to him on most of the points he raised. He has told us that he considers these Bills will reduce the traffic on the roads. That may be the effect ultimately, but I cannot understand the grounds on which he takes the view that this Bill will...
Sir James Grant: I apologise to my right hon. Friend; I misunderstood. He did say, however, that railway companies were unduly burdened with rates. There I totally disagree with him, and I propose to some to that point later. The question now before us is undoubtedly one of great national interest; it will have a tremendous effect upon the transport question of the future. The duty before us is to see that...
Sir James Grant: I beg to move, in page 11, line 28, at the end, to insert the words (c) no authorised undertaker from whom any tramway company derives a supply of electricity for the purposes of haulage or traction, shall be required by the Board to alter the frequency of the supply delivered by them to the tramway company unless and until regulations have been previously made by the Minister of Transport...
Sir James Grant: On a point of Order. Is it possible for me to move the Amendment standing in my name, which is on the Paper immediately before the Amendment just disposed of—in page 14, line 42, after the word "company," to insert the words "or tramway company"?
Sir James Grant: I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time." It is obviously necessary that some such Clause should be introduced, because, under Clause 19, the Board will be constituted as authorised undertakers, and, under Section 5 of the Act of 1922, authorised undertakers may give financial assistance to a joint authority. It would be clearly unfair that the Board should be able to advance...
Sir James Grant: I beg to move in page 4, line 29, after the word "any" to insert the word "tramway." There is a desire on the part of tramway companies that it should be made clear that a private generating station shall not be chosen as a selected station. I do not suppose the Government contemplates that the generating station of a private company will come under the operation of the Bill, and it is...
Sir James Grant: I beg to move to leave out the word "now," and, at the end of the Question, to add the words "upon this day six months." It is with regret that I am unable to agree with my two hon. Friends in their conclusions with regard to this Bill. If one were to comment upon their speeches, one would have to admit that they have been more or less apologies for the Bill. I was not surprised to hear my...
Sir James Grant: My hon. and loyal Friend shakes his head. If we are going to make procedure cheaper, will it not be the case that many more boroughs will come here to apply and try to extend their trade. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear hear!"] Hon. Members opposite answer my question by their applause. This will mean an extension of municipal enterprise, and it extends municipal training into a field that is already...
Sir James Grant: The Bill says: The consent of such council shall not be withheld unreasonably and shall not be necessary if, in the opinion of the Minister, it is withheld unreasonably. It comes to this, if the consent of the municipality is unreasonably withheld he can override the decision of the local authority. That is undoubtedly what the Bill does. I do not say that the gentleman who occupies the...
