Commons Bill [HL]

There is another aspect: how will the price be determined? It is not an open market where anyone can come along and buy those rights. Three groups would be in the running, if all three wanted them: commoners in the commons association if it exists; the owner or owners; and Natural England. Will a price be set by Natural England as the appropriate price for a public authority to pay? Then will it wait for other people to top it? Will it be that sort of situation? It surely cannot be an open auction when we are talking about one national, quango-type organisation and the appropriate body in Wales; a local, semi-public, statutory body—that is, the commons association—and the owner. It would not be appropriate for those people and public authorities to be bidding against each other. Public authorities must buy and sell land at appropriate prices. What system would be used for determining the appropriate price? If two or three wanted to pay the appropriate price, how would the choice be made? Is that when the order of priority comes in? Who knows?