Clause 53 - Pre-commencement consultation
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
4:15 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
Since the Minister has called me preposterous, I shall say that he is displaying the fantastic arrogance that we have got used to from the Government: because he is doing this and can see nothing wrong with the way that he is doing it, he can see no purpose for the amendment. He recognises that it would be outrageous if obsolete consultation were deemed to satisfy a requirement in the Bill to consult.
So often, when we seek reassurance about a provision, Ministers say, ''Well, there's no need. Don't worry because we are going to consult.'' However, they want to consult before the Bill is in its final form—before it has been through the other place and is perhaps further amended. The context in which responses to consultation will be given will depend on the legislative framework in which that consultation takes place.
I find the Minister's bogus inability to understand the concern rather distressing. Of course he says that he will not produce consultation that happened 10 years ago—it did not cost him anything to give the Committee that commitment—but what about consultation that is six months, a year or 18 months old? There is no obvious cut-off point, so we are left to trust the Minister. The same old phrase, ''Trust me, I'm a Minister in this Government,'' is not a principle to which I wish to adhere.
I am very disappointed that the Minister did nothing but pour scorn on a well-intentioned amendment, but as I have taken some pity on the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Richard Younger-Ross), who is anxious to move on, I shall not press the amendment to a Division. I urge the Minister to consider carefully in future Bills whether we should have such retrospective legislation—as we had in the regional assemblies Bill—because that is what it is. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 53 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 54 to 58 ordered to stand part of the Bill.