Clause 2
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]
12:45 pm
Rosie Winterton (Minister of State (Pensions Reform; Minister for Yorkshire and Humber), Department for Work and Pensions; Doncaster Central, Labour)
The Bill clearly applies to the delivery of local services. As the national Government, we want to be able to ensure that people understand how national Government works. There tends to be greater confusion about where local responsibility lies than in respect of where national Government have responsibility. That is important, because as we were discussing earlier many people come to our surgeries and think that we are delivering local housing and social services. We are trying to get at how local authorities—the Bill is about the delivery of local services—can promote a better understanding of how those services are delivered. It is important that we make it clear how people can get involved in some of the decision-making and policy-shaping services themselves.