New Clause 35 - Enforcement
Planning and Compulsory Purchase (Re-committed) Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Keith Hill (Minister of State (Housing and Planning), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Streatham, Labour)
The hon. Gentleman is, as ever, expert and persuasive up to a point. We are very keen that local authorities retain not only the two large areas of discretion to which he alluded, but other thorough-going powers of discretion. We see no compelling grounds for placing obligations on the authorities, which the new clause would do. I urge the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet to withdraw the new clause.