Housing and Regeneration Bill

Perhaps I may help with that. By and large, these organisations have been in charge of their own procedure. I take the noble Viscount’s point that the audit committee, the remuneration committee and the nominations committee were always simply comprised of non-executive directors, as you would expect in terms of good governance. Let us take the example of Milton Keynes: notwithstanding the fact that that sub-committee was to be a sub-committee of the English Partnerships board on direction or guidance or by request—I cannot remember which it was at that point—we were left in no doubt that the Secretary of State was very anxious that the local authority should have full representation on that body and that the business community and voluntary organisations would do likewise. I recall that the appointment of the independent chair to that sub-committee, Sir Robert Reid, notwithstanding the fact that it was a sub-committee of my board, was made by the then Deputy Prime Minister. I do not know whether that helps the noble Viscount or maybe just gives him more grist to his mill.