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Local Transport Bill [Lords]
11:30 am
Rosie Winterton (Minister of State, Department for Transport; Doncaster Central, Labour)
I gather that certain exceptions are applied. As I have said, however, the consultation is not supposed to be a summary of everybody’s views. It is supposed to gather those views. Until the consultation process has been carried out, it would not be possible to have the objections, unless the hon. Gentleman means to go back 10 years to when the scheme was originally made. Again, I do not think that would make sense. The idea of the consultation document is to say, “This is the view of what has happened in terms of the scheme, and this is why we want to take it forward.” If there were an objection to its being taken forward, it could go through an appeal process. However, if the local authority wants to continue with the scheme, and if it is the same, with no new proposals for different services, it should be able to go ahead. The process gives the opportunity to set down why the authority thinks it should continue, and what has been achieved so far.