Sustainable Communities Bill

I shall move speedily on. This is an important new clause and it is clear that it will not be pressed to a vote. The spirit behind it is well intended and I hope that the Minister will clearly spell out how the Government intend to listen to what has been said in Committee and today. There must be a mechanism, because functionality without the resources to back it up involves a somewhat meaningless gesture. The Government have made it clear that the Bill must be been seen in parallel with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, which I hope will be enacted shortly. There is talk about how the mechanism will work in the local area agreements, which I hope we will now see as local area and spending agreements, because the issue is all about money and how it will make a difference. Will the Minister therefore spell out how the mechanism will operate in practice? We have compromised and we have been willing to compromise. This Bill has been one of compromise and consensus and everyone says that that is a terribly bad thing because it means that we get bad legislation that is all mushy and means warm words to everyone. However, I think that we will come out with a good Bill and this issue is at its kernel. There is healthy disagreement on a philosophical point about the degree to which we can genuinely devolve resource allocation to a local level and persuade Government that what local areas want to do is appropriate and right. If that cannot be done under this Bill, it would be good to know how it can be made to happen; otherwise, what we will have is not a poisoned chalice, but there will be a lost opportunity for local areas. When they look to carry out their functions in all sorts of promising ways, the money will not be there. I hope that the Minister is listening to what we are saying. We are trying to work through some difficult points, but doing so on the basis of unanimity. I hope we will genuinely learn how the mechanism can be made to operate. Local communities must understand that and, as the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Hurd) explained, the point must be made explicit; otherwise local communities may use the mechanism in a way that some of us do not want them to. I hope that the Minister has heard that point, and he should have heard it because it was made on several occasions in Committee. I know that there is a way forward and I hope that he will explain what it is. I make no apology for seeking a compromise even if we reach a compromise on a compromise, given that we will not press the new clause to a vote. The spirit of what we have said is important, so I shall now sit down and listen to what the Minister has to say.