Bob Neill (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Bromley & Chislehurst, Conservative)

I beg to move amendment No. 232, in clause 45, page 21, line 10, leave out ‘The Commission may give advice’ and insert

‘The Secretary of State may, in connection with securing propriety, by regulations make provision about the giving of advice by an existing government body appointed for this purpose’.

Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central, Labour)

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments: No. 233, in clause 45, page 21, line 15, leave out ‘Commission may not under subsection (1)’ and insert

‘body appointed by regulations under subsection (1) may not under that subsection’.

No. 234, in clause 45, page 21, line 17, leave out subsection (3).

No. 235, in clause 45, page 21, line 25, leave out ‘Commission’ and insert ‘appointed body’.

Bob Neill (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Bromley & Chislehurst, Conservative)

The amendments deal with a concern that was raised by, among others, the Campaign to  Protect Rural England. It has also been raised with me by a number of practitioners in the field of planning inquiries. The giving of advice is of itself a reasonable, sensible thing. Provided that pre-application discussions on planning matters are transparent, it is sensible to encourage them because they can iron out difficulties, avoid time being wasted and prevent excessive costs. It is also important to ensure that advice is available to interested parties. Increasingly, it is important to recognise the need—