Clause 11
Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill
5:30 pm
Alistair Burt (Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government), Communities and Local Government; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative)
I would like a brief run around the course on clause 11, which contains rather sweeping Government powers to deal with the implications of orders made and the ability to name new local government areas and authorities. That is where Kellyshire comes within the bounds of possibility, assuming some mental aberration on the part of the Secretary of State, which I am sure will not occur.
On the face of it, these are wide and sweeping opportunities. How on earth will the Minister exercise such extraordinary powers? I refer to subsections (3) and (4), which confer a whole series of powers. Subsection (4)(g) in particular refers to
“the boundary of any police area in England”.
We have just been through what must have been a bruising experience, even for the present Home Office, in dealing with the boundaries of police areas. Attempts were made to rearrange the police areas in fairly short order, and they all fell foul. How does the clause relate to the boundaries of police areas? There would be widespread concern if the creation of new local authorities under the Bill caused any disruption to existing police areas.