Local Transport Bill [HL]

I ought to try to respond to my noble friend’s reiterated questions. It is the case that in Government we would not disclose the nature of our legal advice, which is usually rightly protected, for reasons that my noble friend would properly and fairly understand. On the ECHR point, we believe that the mechanism that we have described and set out in the legislation is the best way of resolving those issues. My noble friend has, fairly, said at the outset that there is a disagreement on this aspect of our policy. My noble friend is right to pursue that, and he has done so vigorously. My understanding is—I have made the point before—that appeal to the Court of Appeal would be on a point of law, and it would have to be on that narrow range of consideration and it could not be to unpick the policy that has led to the way in which the process has been used. On the time taken to see this process through, I have described it at some length in my earlier reply. I am minded, if my noble friend continues to be unhappy about the way in which I set that out, to try to get officials to construct a timeline so that my noble friend can see how the thing operates over a particular period. As I made plain at the outset, I am more than happy to put some of this stuff down in writing and respond to points that I perhaps have not covered as fully as I should. I always try to do that. I will share the contents of that letter with all noble Lords and put a copy in the Library of the House. I am grateful to noble Lords for having taken part in the discussion, which may not have moved us on a great deal further, but at least we have some greater understanding.