Lord Foster of Bath:

Moved by Lord Foster of Bath

10: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—“Rural proofing reportAlongside the first statement of levelling-up missions required by section 1, the Secretary of State must publish a rural proofing report detailing the ways in which the levelling-up missions have regard to their impact on rural areas and will address the needs of rural communities.”

My Lords, I am enormously grateful to the Minister for promising to go and look for evidence that rural proofing of this Bill has taken place. But in the event that she is unable to find it or, more likely, that the reports are not deemed satisfactory, it seems better to embed the rural proofing process in the legislation itself, so I would like to test the opinion of the House.

Ayes 169, Noes 167.

Amendment 10 agreed.

Sitting suspended. Consideration on Report to begin again not before 8 pm.

Amendment 11 not moved.

Clause 2: Annual etc reports on delivery of levelling-up missions

Amendment 12 not moved.