Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I thank the Minister for that clarification. In the light of it, I go back to the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Borrie. If there is a duty to promote involvement, surely that duty falls on magistrates and the Magistrates’ Association. If we take that duty away by placing it on local authorities, we take away a very important function that lay magistrates should, and do, perform in courts up and down the country.