Clause 14
Housing and Regeneration Bill
12:45 pm
Lembit Öpik (Shadow Minister (Housing), Department for Communities and Local Government; Montgomeryshire, Liberal Democrat)
Although I do not expect the Minister to repeat the comments that he made in the previous debate, he can surely see that this clause, the previous clause and the associated amendments are connected. It seems to me that Government amendment No. 23 serves to do exactly what the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield just highlighted by creating a potential conflict and an opportunity to sidestep the existing processes. I know the Minister’s argument because he made it in the previous discussion. I do not expect him to repeat it, but I put on record my considerable concern that a malicious Minister could easily use this power, with the amendments, to sidestep a local authority and exert the will of Government on it, regardless of the wishes of local people.