Clause 172

Part of Housing and Regeneration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:45 pm on 29 January 2008.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Iain Wright Iain Wright Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government) 12:45, 29 January 2008

I vividly remember that the right hon. Gentleman responded by saying something like, “Not half.” If he will allow me, I shall come to that important point in a moment or two.

First, let me explain the general thrust of my argument. The additional powers are similar to those for private sector utilities and are part of the regulatory regime. Nothing is changing in that regard. The powers bring regulation into line with other regulated industries and are not in any sense management control. I want to stress that point.

The regulator setting standards and fining bodies for transgressing them is no different from the water regulator fining a utility, or the Health and Safety Executive imposing fines. No one is saying that the bodies that are subject to that sort of regulation are public bodies. Let me give a few examples. Ofwat has powers to fine water and sewerage companies if they breach statutory duties or licence conditions or if they do not meet required standards of performance. The areas for which they are subject to licence conditions and standards of performance and for which they have statutory duties include breaching rules on training arrangements and providing substandard services to customers by failing to meet guaranteed standards of service.