Local Transport Bill [HL]

I thank the Minister for his reply. I accept that, in citing my objections to Clause 97, I was putting down some markers and some points, because I understand that some of these issues may be covered if and when the regulations come in. Without seeing the regulations, however, there remains uncertainty and doubt. I am not convinced that future EU decisions are a way of controlling this. The Minister mentioned that objectives will very likely be met by co-operation between authorities. Again, I am not totally convinced by the natural ability of authorities to co-operate over many issues, but I hope that that will not be the case here. I am less convinced by the Minister’s reply on Clause 98. As he says, it should be in the interests of the local authority to consult; he makes the point that the local authority will be in the doghouse with its local voters if it does not. My point, however, is that in most cases in rural areas it will not be the voters who have not been consulted but, because it is a district council or a metropolitan authority, the people actually using that town or city, who very often fall outside local authority boundaries; the phrase, ““No taxation without representation””, springs to mind. What worries me is that there is no recourse for those who might not be consulted. Nevertheless, I will look very carefully at the Minister’s words, and I hope that he will look very carefully at mine. I hope that we might then get a little more certainty. I withdraw my objections to the two clauses. Clause 97 agreed to. Clause 98 agreed to. Clause 99 [Charges]: On Question, Whether Clause 99 shall stand part of the Bill?