Pipelines Bill Held Up
Page 36
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
From Our Political Correspondent
SIGNS of Government concern over the progress of the Pipelines Bill are becoming manifest. Although it has survived its major hurdle, the Bill is "sticking" somewhat in its passage through Commons Committee and a decision may have to be faced about whether to prod it onwards with a timetable motion. A timetable motion is the polite official phrase for the " The position on Monday was that, with just over four weeks to go, only Clause 8 of the 63-clause Bill had been reached, with Report and Third Reading yet to come on the floor of the House. The Government were thus facing the fact that, if they want the Bill this Session, they may have to do something about it.
I understand that skilfully presented objections from local authority interests have uncovered flaws in the Bill, which
is in effect the springboard for a new, privately owned transport ss,•stem for Britain.
In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it must be assumed that the Government do want to have the Bill this Session.