Clause 8 - Clause Guidance about inspections and enforcement action
Housing Bill
10:15 am
Mr Robert Syms (Poole, Conservative)
We seem to be cantering through the Bill. The thrust of our amendments is to tease out a little more about guidance for the enforcement and inspection regime. We also want to know the likely costs for local government.
Subsection (1) states:
''The appropriate national authority may give guidance''.
It is clear that guidance does not need to be given, which is why we suggest in amendment No. 187 that it ''will'' give guidance. I wonder whether it would be nice to give the National Assembly for Wales the choice; I presume that when the clause talks of a national authority it must mean either the Government or the Assembly.
The guts of what we wish to discuss come in amendment No. 189, which would add paragraphs (d), (e), (f) and (g). Paragraph (d) would make it transparent what training were expected. It is clear that roles to be undertaken under the new system will
require training. The briefing paper suggests that environmental health officers may need up to five days' training. That might vary, but one ought to be specific about what is required of local authorities.
Paragraph (e) is proposed because certain specifications are expected of local authorities. Paragraphs (f) and (g) also add to the guidance. We are trying to expand the degree of guidance needed so that the time and cost implications for local authorities are much clearer and more quantifiable.
The Opposition's general theme is to try to ensure that the costs of the new system to local government are fully compensated for. It is therefore important that central Government gives local government specific guidance so that it is much easier to quantify its duties. Legislation sometimes states that local authorities ''shall'' do something, and some authorities, which are gold-plated, do it very well, while others do it less well. We want the situation to be clear so that authorities know what the costs are and the Local Government Association can make representations to the Government for proper compensation.
Unless the Minister reassures us fully, we may be minded, at an appropriate point and with your indulgence, Mr. Conway, to press amendment No. 189 to a Division.