Planning Bill

I rise to speak to the stand-part debate on Clause 12. I start by repeating my mantra that these national policy statements are hugely important. They are a big step forward and are different from anything that has gone before. If they properly pass all the tests of democracy, they will be the key to making the IPC an effective and respected body. They will make the Bill work. National policy statements decided at a national parliamentary level with national consultation are a new development for our planning system, and they are a good idea. Whatever process was gone through for previous documents—PPGs, PPSs or White Papers—they were not examined by the Commons and the Lords or by the public in the knowledge that they were going to rule the decisions of the IPC on a range of bad-neighbour projects. Therefore, all national policy statements must start from scratch after the Bill has passed. It would be underhand for it to be otherwise. The Government will, of course, wish to start the NPS process from the basis of previous or existing statements, or even a White Paper—no one in his right mind expects them to start with a totally blank sheet of paper—and they probably want to get started now, before the Bill is passed. That is fine, but the process of debate and consultation must be as though they were starting from scratch. In that case, Clause 12 is redundant. I cannot see the point of it, unless the Government have some sort of ulterior motive.