Commons Bill [HL]

I can understand that the noble Duke is concerned about agreeing to what is clearly a wide-ranging power. I reassure the Committee that we will not take any action to remove or amend such powers without full consultation with interested parties. I can also reassure the Committee that any order made by the Secretary of State under the clause would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. Where an order has an especial local impact, as seems likely—a large number of very local enactments could be affected under the Bill—the Standing Orders of both Houses will enable people to petition against the Bill and to be heard by a Committee of both Houses. About 20,000 local and private Acts have been passed since the start of the 19th century. It is impossible to know what is in them all and to cross-check them. I was grateful and surprised to receive that information at such short notice—extremely grateful and even more surprised. Amendment No. 247, to which the noble Duke spoke, would remove the provision that this clause and the existing Clause 49 would come into effect two months after the Bill is passed. Both those clauses contain powers to make orders. I understand that it is normal practice for such powers to be brought into force soon after Royal Assent and that two months is the usual period allowed. A case has not been made to depart from convention in this instance. I hope that the noble Duke will withdraw his amendment.