Clause 71
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]
5:15 pm
Stewart Jackson (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Peterborough, Conservative)
I am glad that there is some consensus among Opposition Members about the aspect of the Bill that deals with review and revision by responsible regional authorities. At the risk of being repetitious, I believe that the clause exemplifies the over-mighty powers of the Secretary of State, especially subsections (4) and (5). That is why I will be speaking primarily to our amendments dealing with those subsections, and supporting the Liberal Democrat amendment to remove one of them, as well as discussing clause stand part. We believe that if the subsections remain, they will invalidate the whole clause.
The clause demonstrates an underlying distrust in local authorities, which are closer to changes and variations in local economies, industry, demographic factors, society and so on than regional bodies are. Once again, the central tenet, as advanced by Ministers, that the Bill is all about sharing power and devolving it from the top down, is undermined. The philosophy that the Bill is all about local people and decisions—it was advanced strongly by the right hon. Member for Salford (Hazel Blears), whom we miss already—is barely credible.
We know that the Government missed an opportunity last July to put flesh on the bones of community empowerment, which is nowhere contained in the Bill, but the clause shows that the Secretary of State wants to be involved in the minutiae and to reach into every nook and cranny of local decision making, particularly in the area of directions such as draft revision and the direction under subsection (5) about the timetable and its content. In our opinion, a generic template or format will be rolled out across the country, with the ultimate power in Whitehall, and diversity of provision, ideas and local decision making will be cast to one side. For those reasons, we will vote for our amendment and that of the Liberal Democrats, and we will vote against clause stand part.