Clause 58 - Power to make further provision
Local Government Bill
3:00 pm
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight, Conservative)
I am happy to support my hon. Friend on the Front Bench in his hostility to the clause. A similar clause appeared in the Education Bill on whose Committee I was privileged to serve—I believe under your chairmanship, Mr. Conway; I cannot quite remember. It seems to be a trend among Ministers to want the power not only to push legislation through the House—given a majority, that is not unreasonable—but to change the law where they forgot to make a particular arrangement when pushing that legislation through.
Given the number of different ways in which Ministers can regulate, legislate, direct, order and
otherwise fetter the liberty of the subject, it is profoundly important that we scrutinise to the greatest possible extent the exercise of their powers. However, the clause simply does not permit Parliament to do that effectively. What I have said may not apply to the Under-Secretary, who is a reasonable and, as far as I can see, an honourable man. It may not even apply to the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, who is not in his place at the moment, but who has shown in his munificence to the Isle of Wight that he is reasonable and honourable. He will further demonstrate those qualities if he accepts my invitation to visit my constituency and receive the plaudits of the multitude for his actions.