Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I should like to ask two questions, having drawn a number of conclusions; namely, that there is to be a duty because a few local authorities are not undertaking assessments and that local authorities should decide for themselves how to do it, provided the Secretary of State agrees. On the second point, I would ask the Government, as I have asked every Government in office since I joined your Lordships' House, how they would feel if the Secretary of State were not from their own party but was someone whom they might regard as less benign. I have also drawn the conclusion that the comments about acknowledging the social and environmental aspects of sustainable development might jeopardise the economic matters at difficult economic times, which makes my point for me. Will the Government confirm that all this is within the powers of local authorities and that it is within the power of the Secretary of State to give the guidance, which seems to be the basis for all this, and to make the policy statement? The answers to those questions are clearly yes. Therefore, to that extent they are rhetorical, which, again makes our point.