Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield, has said, I offered my support for this amendment in Grand Committee, and I am happy to continue to do so. I have very little to add to what I said then. I do think that this is a matter of public policy. It is a matter of principle rather than detailed financial argument, and it is therefore perfectly in order for both Houses to consider this statutory instrument. I believe, given its importance, that it is essential that both Houses have the opportunity to do so. I want to make it clear, as a member of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, that that committee was not offering some kind of endorsement of the procedure laid out in the Bill; given that the original Act provided for privilege to apply to the case for revaluation, it was simply content for that to continue. From my point of view, as I said when I spoke to the previous amendment, it is the removal of the certainty of the 10-year period within which revaluation had to take place that moves us into a different ball game. If the Secretary of State is to have a power to revalue at any time, but more importantly if that power extends some time into the future, it is important that that power, when exercised, is scrutinised by both sides of your Lordships’ House.