Housing and Regeneration Bill

I do not think that the parallel with emergency powers holds good because we are in the middle of a very considered process here which will involve a lot of people having their say, and I should have thought they would want to do that. The noble Lord is right, we can debate regulations but in my experience in this House it is far better and far more in the spirit of the legislation we debate if we do so in the context of a Bill which allows maximum opportunity for such debate. Ian Cole has led this very effective process to move the debate forward. As I say, the debate has never been about whether we put this ideal into practice but about how we do it. How do we provide a consistent deal for all tenants while designing a system that fits with the local government performance framework? Given the changes in that framework, that in itself requires scrupulous attention. I am not persuaded by the amendment. I very rarely disagree with the noble Lord, Lord Best, but I do in this instance. As regards the amendment put forward by the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, I appreciate her general argument, which I addressed. It is important to note that there is a world of difference between our removing an explicit bar to the registration of local authorities and providing for a framework to accommodate them. I know that the noble Baroness hoped to have the wider debate and I respect that but the amendment would take us to a confusing place where local authorities, though not prohibited from registering, would be under no obligation to do so. If they chose to do so, the regulator and any authorities that registered would face serious problems struggling with a framework which is obviously not designed with that in mind. It is better that we proceed as we are with the necessary work to ensure we have provisions which provide for the right form of regulation. However, I take this opportunity to address concerns regarding potential problems which stakeholders fear could arise if there were a delay in achieving cross-domain regulation. We have said from the outset that we want to extend the regulator’s remit within two years of it starting to regulate registered providers. The timetable I have outlined would allow for that. As I have emphasised, an enabling power would not significantly reduce the timetable. The transition team leading on the work necessary to take us from the Housing Corporation to the new regulator is well aware of the need to plan ahead for cross-domain. In the coming months we will need to ensure that stakeholders are fully involved in developing the detail of legislation and helping to define how regulation will work. I am confident that the LGA and its representatives and the groups that represent tenants’ interests will play a full role in helping to shape that new organisation in anticipation of achieving single-domain regulation. I believe that absolutely nothing divides us except process. The timing can be reconciled but giving the House an opportunity to have a full debate on what is proposed is the proper way forward. I hope that on that basis the noble Lord will feel able to withdraw his amendment.