Rating (Empty Properties) Bill

My Lords, in the short term, it cannot help where there is insufficient demand. The noble Baroness will recognise that the market will operate in those terms. If we are successful—we will be successful—with the Bill in terms of the development of the economy, she will recognise that that very expansion in the economy will be the surest guarantee that we will have of an expansion of demand. Of course, she will be all too well aware of the fact that areas of decline suffer the greatest difficulties whenever the broader economy is in decline. Their greatest succour and support is likely to come from an economy that burgeons into success. On property, we have a constraint, which we all recognise now, which the Bill sets out to address. The noble Baroness can identify the limitations of the Bill in this respect. It is a modest little Bill. I am not putting forward the full budgetary provision of 2007 in this Bill, although it is an important part of the 2007 budget. The budget, taken in the round, and the issues of the management of the economy are much broader than this Bill, but it tackles one area on which it is important to make progress for the development of the economy. On that basis, I commend the Bill to the House. On Question, Bill read a second time; Committee negatived.