Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I intervene only momentarily and not to reopen the excellent debate that we had on Tuesday 3 February, to which the noble Lord, Lord Graham of Edmonton, just referred. It was an admirable debate and, very properly, the noble Lord expressed his pleasure and thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Andrews. It would have been perfectly in order, since we are in Committee, for me to have intervened and expressed my thanks to her at that stage, but it always seemed to me to be a trifle impolite to intervene after the noble Lord—in this case the noble Lord, Lord Graham of Edmonton—had thanked her, having moved the lead amendment. I seek now to express my warm thanks to the Minister. She indicated towards the end of the debate on 3 February that she was prepared to accept all the amendments tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Graham of Edmonton, all of which I also supported. I thank the Minister for having accepted those amendments. As will have been clear from what the noble Lord, Lord Graham of Edmonton, said, they have given great pleasure to very many people; not least people in the Cinque Ports, whose right to create honorary freemen had been taken away. That right will now be restored through this legislation when it is passed. The noble Baroness, Lady Andrews, indicated several times over the past two years that if a suitable legislative opportunity arose, she would support the proposals, helping, among others, the people in the Cinque Ports. She has been as good as her word, and I thank her for that. I also ask her to pass on warm thanks to her officials, both in her private office and elsewhere in her department. Will she also pass on thanks to her lawyers, who have been of great assistance in preparing for these matters? As a lawyer, I have noticed that we do not very often get many thanks, so it gives me very great pleasure to offer thanks to her lawyers. In court, I found it appropriate on one or two occasions to thank my opponents; but I did not find it possible to thank them all. I thank the lawyers for the advice that they have given the noble Baroness.