Clause 23 - Funding for regional chambers
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
6:45 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
I take the Minister's reply to mean that no net additional public expenditure will be involved. As the current regional planning forums will be supported by officers of the county or district councils, I wonder whether it will be so easy for them to shed their cost base immediately or whether the clawback of grant moneys to them to fund the new regional structure will be onerous. I assume that the same people will not be seconded to carry on doing the work. If the same people are so seconded, it will be like a game of dressing up. The people will be the same centrally, have the same money and undertake the same job, but will wear different hats. I thought that the Government were suggesting that something more fundamental would happen. I shall not pursue that avenue because I am sure that my hon. Friends who have the pleasure and privilege of serving on the Standing Committee when it discusses the Planning
and Compulsory Purchase Bill will want to take up that matter.
The Minister dismissed the need for amendment No. 86 on lobbying during a referendum campaign by referring to the Government's standard grant agreement. I can see no reference in the Bill to the grant being made under such an agreement. Indeed, there is reference to grant being
''made on such terms as the Secretary of State thinks appropriate''.
Will the right hon. Gentleman give the Committee an unequivocal assurance that all such grants will be made on the terms of the standard grant agreement and that that agreement will maintain the prohibition on political campaigning? Will he also tell the Committee whether he would be willing to review that grant agreement to include a prohibition on lobbying activity in anticipation of a referendum? He said that no particular costs will be involved, but I can envisage a region engaging expensive consultants to move public opinion within the region, as I can envisage it wanting to persuade the Deputy Prime Minister of the state of public opinion. I consider that that would be an inappropriate use of public funds and I sense that the Minister does, too.