Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I am very grateful for the reception that my amendments have received. I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock, who speaks with more knowledge about Berwick than many people, but not with more than me, because I come from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Berwick is a landmark and a lovely town with great history. The noble Baroness stressed the continuing value of the guild of freemen in her town, as in many others. Although we are modernising and moving on, it is essential that we retain our tradition and history wherever possible. I was very grateful for her remarks. The Bill is a trigger, a platform and an opportunity for people who may not have thought of using the device of awarding honorary freedom to individuals and groups in a town. I look forward to a number of people waking up to the fact that it is possible to use these amendments to elevate the status of individuals and groups in the town, so I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield. The noble Lord, Lord Boston, has been diligent and persistent in ensuring that the interests of the Cinque Ports are borne in mind. When he tells us that there is history going back to William the Conqueror in the area that he represented, one appreciates how jealously we should guard that which has been handed down to us and which we will hand down to others. The freemen of Newcastle-upon-Tyne are held in high esteem and do great work. Almshouses are provided and the Town Moor, a feature of Newcastle, is owned by the freemen, who jealously guard its rights and make sure that it is not trampled upon. They are proud of it. I am grateful for the remarks made by the noble Lord, Lord Boston. I was pleased that he mentioned the noble Lord, Lord Imbert, and the noble Baroness, Lady Fookes. They took part in the original debate and brought a cross-party line to it. I am grateful to the Minister for her advice. She is right to point out the care that has been taken by her officials. This provision has been redrafted more than once to ensure that, as a fresh look is taken at what is intended, if people do not want to do anything, they do not have to, but if they do want to, they have to take account of modernity and other things. I am very grateful for that. I am also grateful for the Minister’s support for the equality aspect of the amendment. Although it started as a simple idea to give a guild the right for succession to go beyond that of sons and to include daughters, one can quickly see how the concept has grown. We had to make sure that it was not just a ramble but had been looked at and carefully thought about. From the time it started, it has been rewritten more than once in the light of advice and guidance. I am grateful to the Minister and to the Freemen of England and Wales, who have been careful not to say that they are promoters of the Bill, but they fully support what the Bill sets out to do. Amendment 152A agreed.