Clause 48
Greater London Authority Bill
2:15 pm
Bob Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst, Conservative)
I shall be brief. We have already discussed the assembly’s situation in relation to consultation. Provided that the Mayor meets the requirements of the other clauses that we have agreed will stand part of the Bill, the Mayor can ignore the assembly. So the safeguard is not much of a safeguard. Does the Minister accept that when one is dealing with, for example, the assembly’s ability to access human resources advice and support, or legal advice—which is particularly important—or financial advice, it is important that the assembly have some guarantee of access? There is already discussion—in broad terms I support it—on consolidating the legal arrangements under Transport for London rather than under the core GLA. It would make sense if the assembly had more than the right to be consulted, if it is to guarantee itself access to legal advice on the functions of the organisation of which it is part.