Ms Sue Doughty (Shadow Minister (the Environment), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Guildford, Liberal Democrat)

May I join others in welcoming you, Mr. Forth, and, in advance, welcome your judgments?

Amendment No. 73 is a probing amendment. We are concerned that the period within which somebody needs to act when they have been served with a notice is less than 56 days. There is a problem with absentee landlords. For example, if the owner of an area where an order has been made is overseas, even if the council knows that the owner is abroad, and even if the owner has an agent who might pass the order on to him, he may not receive it for days. He will then have to implement the actions required.

That is why we suggest a period of 56 days. We are trying to obtain an idea of what is a reasonable turnaround in circumstances in which someone may not have the information as soon as the council would like him to have it. If the problem is extensive and the individual has to get someone in to carry out the   contract, or to make arrangements with the council to do the work if the owner agrees to bear the cost, how would that work if the end of the 28-day period is reached? It might be difficult for an owner to implement the order before the period has elapsed.

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