Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 6: 6: Schedule 1, page 37, line 4, at end insert— ““Annual public meeting (1) LBRO shall hold a public meeting (““the annual meeting””) for the purpose of enabling a report under paragraph 11 above to be considered. (2) The annual meeting shall be held within the period of three months beginning with the day on which the report is published. (3) LBRO shall organise the annual meeting so as to allow— (a) a general discussion of the contents of the report which is being considered, and (b) a reasonable opportunity for those attending the meeting to put questions to LBRO about matters to which the report relates. (4) But subject to sub-paragraph (3) above, the annual meeting is to be organised and conducted in such a way as LBRO considers appropriate. (5) LBRO shall— (a) take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that notice of the annual meeting is given, and (b) publish notice of the annual meeting in the way appearing to it to be best calculated to bring it to the attention of members of the public. (6) Each such notice shall— (a) give details of the time and place at which the meeting is to be held, (b) set out the proposed agenda for the meeting, (c) set out the proposed duration of the meeting, and (d) give details of LBRO’s arrangements for enabling persons to attend. (7) If LBRO proposes to alter any of the arrangements which have been included in notices given or published under sub-paragraph (5) above it shall— (a) give reasonable notice of the alteration, and (b) publish the notice in the way appearing to it to be best calculated to bring it to the attention of members of the public.”” The noble Lord said: The amendment would create a new paragraph requiring the LBRO to hold an annual public meeting. I partly employ the point made earlier by my noble and learned friend Lord Lyell. The LBRO is, in fact, an NBRO: I know that it will have plans to operate locally, but it is operating nationally. We therefore need a means for people at local level to make a fuss about a national body operating at too high a level, as opposed to at the specific level we need if it is to be effective. My amendment would require an annual public meeting. That would give the LBRO a chance to show that it is working with the grain and gaining public support. However, it would also be a chance for those who are not convinced to make a fuss; that may be uncomfortable, but so be it. The amendment merely lays down a series of broad criteria to be met for the annual public meeting. The meeting must be held within three months of the publication of the annual report and time must be found to allow for discussion of the report and questions on it. The LBRO must also give proper notice of the meeting and publicise it reasonably widely. Subject to that, however, the LBRO can more or less organise it in any way that it wishes. I cannot see the objection to the LBRO being required to hold one public meeting a year; indeed, there are arguments that there should be more than that. I would like written into the Bill the potential link between those at the grass roots who are being regulated and what is inevitably a national organisation with some pretty high-level people, judging by how the Minister described them, who may or may not always be in touch with what is happening at the lowest level where their activities are having the most effect. I beg to move.