Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I am grateful to the Minister for her explanation, although I do not think that we have yet covered my point about youth offending teams. My question is why they are included here, rather than being covered earlier. As someone responsible politically for youth offending teams, of course I have a deep interest in the intentions of the Bill. Perhaps the Minister would like to come back to me on that point. I think I did make it clear that Amendments 63 and 67 were consequential on Clause 3 leaving the Bill. Obviously that is not going to happen today. I hope that nothing I have said suggests that the work of these boards is not important, because it is. There should be much greater public understanding, and to the extent that it is possible, public involvement in this work. I am all for that. If local authorities working in co-operative arrangements with these bodies can help with the promotion of those aims, of course that is a good thing and no one would stand in the way. Our concern is that the Bill does not just say that it is a good thing, it makes it a duty—a requirement regardless of circumstances and the local situation. That is our worry about this clause and why we think it should not be in the Bill. Listening to the Minister has actually raised a personal concern. It occurs to me that I have two prisons closer to me than my own local civic offices.