Local Government (Structural Changes) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Other Provision) Order 2009

I thank the Minister for her long and detailed introduction, as the noble Lord has just said, in her usual careful fashion. I do not wish to rehearse the background or the arguments that we have had on the decisions that underlie the order; I suspect that the influx of people into this Room is not to hear this debate but is for the next business. Before anyone teases me about it, I should offer that, on future legislation, if I protest about reserve powers held by the Secretary of State, this could well be an instance held up of why they are sometimes necessary. In the debate in the Commons, my honourable friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne asked for the Minister’s comments. They were not given, and I ask the Minister here to comment on what decisions took place regarding Cornwall between the Boundary Committee and the Electoral Commission. She asked what reasons it accepted as decisive in giving carte blanche approval to the proposals. If the Minister has anything she can say on that, I would be grateful. On the other order, I ask about the position in Bedfordshire, where the shadow executive is to continue as a member of the new council’s executive until the June election. What happens to the other things that go on in that interregnum period? In particular, are overview and scrutiny arrangements in place—one would expect there to be arrangements to hold the executive to account if executive powers continue—or do they have to hold their fire until after the election? If it is the latter, I suppose they will be holding to account people who may no longer be in an equivalent position. The noble Lord, Lord Bates, mentioned pension funds. They are topical, given that we are hearing suggestions that there may be shortfalls in certain places. I was interested to see that the pension funds have been vested in the outgoing councils, if I may put it that way. I assume that that is the case, as they are to vest in the new authorities. I had thought that there would be separate pension trustees rather than vesting in the authorities themselves. I hope the Minister can give us some assurance that there is no residual liability and that the rights of the pensioners are in no way prejudiced by the transfer. Other than that, we welcome the two orders.