Lords Insist On Changes in Bill

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1949, Page 5

Lords Insist On Changes in Bill

LONDON. Thu. fll a.m.).—'The Marquess of Salisbury, leader of the Opposition, announced in the House of Lords today that the Opposition would stand firm on an amendment to the Iron and Steel Bill delaying its operation. The House of Commons rejected this amendment on Monday night. Lord Salisbury declared: “We believe the Government is opposing the Lords amendments because they are afraid of anything which might interfere with the absolute dictatorship of the Ministry.” He said that rejection of so large a number of Lords’ amendments showed a contempt for the House of Lords and general irresponsibility on the part of the Government, which would not commend itself to the country. “I wonder sometimes whether the Labour Party really believes in a second chamber,” he said. “We are entitlled to protest at the cavalier treatment to which our amendments have been subjected. “They were not frivolous, and had been put forward by Peers with a lifelong experience of the industry.” Viscount Addison, Leader of the House, denied that, the Government had shown any sense of irresponsibility, and pointed out that a large number of amendments inserted by the Lords had been accepted. The House of Lords re-inserted in the Iron and Steel Bill its amendments delaying operation of the bill. The voting was 103 to 29 in favour.