Clause 26
10:45 am
Bob Neill (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Bromley and Chislehurst, Conservative)
It was not so bright and sunny in Chislehurst yesterday.
I understand the Minister’s point. The Committee has discussed the importance of the guidance quite a bit. I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for making it clear that the full 12 weeks’ consultation will take place. I am sure he has seen the briefing note from the Local Government Association, which expressed a little disappointment that there had not been more pre-consultation and was hoping for more detail. I do not pass judgment on the details of that note, but I hope that he will assure us that there will be a rigorous process of engagement with both the LGA and the business community, including those who have given evidence to the Committee, before the process is completed.
Given that the comments have to be in by 17 April and the Minister will, I know, want to give them careful consideration, I realise that he may not be able to give us an exact timetable, but if he has some idea of when we can expect to see the completed guidance and of how it might fit in with the Bill’s departure from this House to another place, it might be helpful to know. I am sure that on some points, perfectly understandably, further scrutiny will be sought, to see how our debates and other representations have been incorporated into the guidelines, as all of us on both sides of the Committee want.