I will certainly consider that point. I am keen to ensure that there are effective methods of local involvement.

During my visits around the country in the summer, I was struck by the techniques that organisations that operate in the voluntary sector use. Those techniques struck me as being particularly effective in drawing people together and helping people to reach agreements on how to progress sensitive issues, some of which related to planning matters. The voluntary sector can be more fully involved in that area.

I reassure Alison McInnes that the planning reforms are not designed to encroach in any way whatever on the role of local authorities. Indeed, I am reminded of the fact that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities gave a warm welcome to the contents of the planning reform agenda, which devolves more responsibilities to local authorities—a trend that I actively and enthusiastically support.

We have to recognise—it is implicitly recognised in the legislation—that some developments have to be defined as national developments. As I said in answer to Mary Mulligan, such definitions will be kept to the absolute minimum in order to ensure that we have the right decision-making power at local authority level.