Clause 1
Planning Bill
11:45 am
Jacqui Lait (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Beckenham, Conservative)
Indeed, with pleasure, Mr. Illsley. I was about to come to the relevance of the amendments. The Minister raised the issue of the perceived conflict of interest for Ministers and the reason for establishing the commission.
Our argument is that of the 13 nationally significant infrastructure projects listed in clause 13, Ministers are technically involved in only two, both of which are in transport. One is roads, because the Highways Agency is a wholly funded Government agency. The other is railways, because Network Rail is essentially—[Interruption.] I have said on the Floor of the House that it is a nationalised industry, but, technically, it is a company limited by guarantee. However, the way things are going, it will very quickly be nationalised.
In only two of the 13 does that conflict of interest exist. To create a national planning commission for two conflicts of interest is a very expensive exercise in self-indulgence.