Planning Bill

We oppose the clause standing part of the Bill, but only, I hasten to add, in a probing way. The clause raises a number of questions and I would be grateful if the Minister could develop how it would work in practice. I have four points. First, presumably work in progress for all other applications using the same national policy statement would also stop during this suspension. Secondly, how does this review take place? I looked back to our earlier discussions on Clause 6, which deals with review. Clause 6 describes what happens and how the review is conducted, but only when the national policy statement is being amended, not withdrawn. Clause 105 seems to be talking about withdrawing the statement for some period because there has been a change of circumstance. The noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, gave the example of a change of government, which may well mean that there is a fundamental policy change. Presumably the whole process then has to start again with consultation, compliance with directives, sustainable development requirements and parliamentary requirements. They would all have to be done again because there had been such fundamental change. I would like confirmation from the Minister on that. Thirdly, presumably the applicant then has to resubmit or rethink completely his application in the light of the new national policy statement, at some cost to himself. Fourthly, what timescales are envisaged from suspension to completion? Are we talking months or years?