Schedule 2
Housing and Regeneration Bill
10:30 am
Alistair Burt (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative)
Our interest in the amendment is technical, and we seek clarification, particularly of the wide powers that we are discussing. We note from the memorandum that the schedule and the powers are modelled on similar provisions for the Urban Regeneration Agency. We are entitled to ask precisely what that means, as the question comes up rather often. We want to know what is being changed and why. If the amendment is a straight lift from another provision, we should know. If, however, it is modelled on such a provision, something may be hidden behind that. The Homes and Communities Agency’s combined powers not only to acquire but to develop land could lead to a conflict of interest not present in the powers of the Urban Regeneration Agency.
That is a common theme in this set of provisions—the combination of the HCA’s powers make it incredibly powerful. We therefore require genuine clarification of the extent of those powers and, when we come on to other clauses, we will seek guidance as to how they will be used. The Minister may not have the answer at his fingertips, but how often have the powers been used? Are they used on a regular basis, have they been used many times, or are they available in theory but not necessarily used in practice?
There are three brief areas that I wish to explore. First, why and to what extent do the powers differ from those previously granted? Secondly, does the Minister acknowledge that the combination of powers available to the Homes and Communities Agency makes the use of those powers a cause of concern? Clarification of the way in which they will be used would be helpful. Thirdly, how often have those powers been used in the past, and how often does he expect them to be used in future?