Clause 23 - ''Local authority''
Local Government Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
The Minister says that there is no plot—no cunning plan. Well, we shall see.
The amendment relates to the different bodies that can become precepting or money-raising bodies. They are listed under clause 23(1)(a) to (o). The problem, as always, is that paragraph (o), rather than just making a list, is a catch-all provision. It refers to
''any other body specified for the purposes of this subsection by regulations under subsection (2).''
My Machiavellian mind wonders whether in future that may include regional bodies. Perhaps the Minister can give us an assurance on that.
Under subsection (3), those as yet unspecified bodies, which might include regional bodies, may by regulations become precepting bodies. That gives rise to the possibility that regional bodies will introduce a regional council tax—the policy so loved by the Liberal Democrat party. One wonders exactly what the Government have in mind for those regulations.
Amendment No. 105 would leave out subsection (3), so that it was not possible to make additional regulations as to which bodies could increase their precepting powers and for what purpose—[Interruption.]