Iain Wright (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Communities and Local Government; Hartlepool, Labour)

I shall be brief. Amendments Nos. 22 and 27 clarify the drafting. They allow the Bill to make it clear which non-local planning authority functions may be conferred upon the agency under the designation order.

Amendment No. 23 ensures that some non-local planning authority functions may be given to the agency concurrently with the existing body—for example, keeping registers of enforcement notices. Amendments Nos. 24 and 29 highlight the general power later in the Bill that would allow a designation order to a supplementary, incidental and consequential provision.

Amendment No. 25 adds section 330 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to the list of functions that may be conferred upon the agency in relation to a designated area. This function gives local authorities power to require information as to interests in land for the purpose of making any order or issuing or serving any notice or other document under the 1990 Act.

Amendment No. 26 removes section 76 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 from the list of functions that may be conferred upon the agency in relation to a designated area. The provision does not actually confer functions on anyone other than the Secretary of State. Amendment No. 28 inserts a new power to amend by order the definition of “planning-related provisions” or “relevant functions”.

As I said, these are technical amendments that clarify matters in the Bill, and if hon. Members are still with me—that is, if they are awake—I ask them to support the amendments.

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