Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings, Conservative)

There is a need to elaborate a little on some of the issues that we raised about notification. When we talked about them briefly a few moments ago, the Minister rightly said that they were dealt with under clause 48. It highlights the requirements on the local authority to notify all persons affected in the case of an area that is additionally designated. That is important because several implications might arise from the designation, such as the status of the area, its reputation, how difficult it will be to let property in the area and the incentivising or otherwise of landlords to come into, or leave, the area.

All such matters are linked partly to the way in which people are informed and consulted about a designation. The Minister said that the public will be made aware of the process by a variety of means. We debated earlier how we defined the ''reasonable steps'' to consult and to inform about people about the designations. I am also interested in how the designation will impact on all the parties concerned when it has been put in place, and in the relationship between the notification process and the outcome. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will explain a little

about that because it is an important matter. It is, as he said, a significant new power for local authorities. However, there is some doubt about it among landlords and others. To assuage their fears, the more that we can convince them that the provision will be applied in an appropriate, highly targeted fashion and that everyone will be informed and notified properly, the better the Bill will be received and the more effective it is likely to be in operation.

Mr Keith Hill (Minister of State (Housing and Planning), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Streatham, Labour)

Clause 48 contains provisions that deal with the notification requirements when an area is to be subject to additional HMO licensing. It requires that, when a designation is made or confirmed, a notice should be published giving prescribed information about the designation and, if appropriate, its confirmation. The local authority must make available to the public copies of the information and other prescribed information.

Subsection (2) refers to publishing notices in a prescribed manner. The appropriate national authority is likely to prescribe the newspapers or other publications in, say, a prescribed number of local newspapers or in a national journal in which such notices are published. It should have regard to the other provisions under subsection (2) on how such notices should be itemised and what information they should contain. Some of the details of the provisions relate to the confirmation of schemes of additional HMO licensing by the appropriate national authority.

The hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings asked several important questions. He was right to emphasise the significance of the new powers and the need for both national and local government to deal with them in the most responsible fashion. I wish to say a word in response to those observations: the fact is that local authorities will have to consider carefully their reasons for seeking additional HMO licensing, such as what problem they are seeking to deal with by wanting additional licensing.

It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned till this day at half-past Two o'clock.