Clause 13
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
1:00 pm
Stephen Hammond (Shadow Minister, Transport; Wimbledon, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 40, in clause 13, page 13, line 25, leave out subsection (3).
Good afternoon, Lady Winterton.
This is a probing amendment because, having read subsection (3) several times, I am not sure what it achieves. Under section 114(3)(a) of the 2000 Act, authorities must be satisfied that a quality partnership will “improve the quality of local services provided in the whole or any part of their area, or combined area, by bringing benefits to persons using those services”.
The Bill proposes a change to that: authorities must be satisfied that a quality partnership will
“bring benefits to persons using local services in the whole or any part of their area, or combined area, by improving the quality of those services”.
It seems to me that this is just an exercise in moving words around. The meaning of the provision seems to be exactly the same, so I look to the Minister to explain exactly why the words have been turned round in this fashion.