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Clause 2—(Procedure Of Commission)

Volume 411: debated on Wednesday 30 May 1945

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I beg to move, in page 2, line 32, to add:

(b) for the purposes of Sub-section (5) of that Section, the Minister making the proposals with respect to which the inquiry is being held shall be deemed to be a party to the inquiry and costs may be ordered to be paid to or by him accordingly."
This Amendment, fulfils an undertaking which I gave during the Committee stage, when the question was raised of the payment of costs before the Commission. My hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ilford (Mr. Hutchinson) doubted whether the Section of the Local Government Act which we are importing into Clause 2 of the Requisitioned Land and War Works Bill would fulfil the purposes which we have in mind, and this new paragraph is moved to make it clear that the Commission will be able to award costs against the Minister who brings forward a proposal for acquisition where the Commission think that the costs should be paid by the Crown.

I am very grateful to the Financial Secretary for going half way on this point. The Committee may remember that we made two points during the Committee stage one that a Minister should be able to pay the costs, and, secondly, that the expenses of the Commission would not be charged against the litigant. I hope the other point will be dealt with on the Report stage.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.