Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her comments and agree substantially with many of them. First, I offer the apologies of my noble friend Lady Hamwee, who, sadly, is at the funeral of a close friend this afternoon. However, it gives me the opportunity to put on the record my personal thanks to her. Occasionally I have been critical of some of the drafting, but in fact my noble friend’s drafting skills never cease to amaze me. I worked closely with her at the Greater London Authority for eight years and we have known each other for probably 30 years, so I should no longer be amazed. I thank also two of my colleagues, my noble friend Lady Maddock, who is in her place, and my noble friend Lord Greaves, who particularly sends his apologies for his absence today. He is thinking of us from another part of the country and wishes that he could be here. Between the four of us, I believe that we have—although I hesitate to say it—well over 100 years of local government experience. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with my noble friends on this Bill. I am not sure that the Minister feels that it has always been a pleasure, but it has been from this side of the Chamber. I move on to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Andrews, and the noble Lord, Lord Patel, for their real care and consideration of all that we have had to say, and for their willingness to discuss with us our concerns and to try to meet them whenever possible. I link to that, as did the noble Baroness, her Bill team, particularly the central team, if that is the right expression. I note also from a reply to a Parliamentary Question at an early stage the very significant number of civil servants who have worked on the Bill. Nine are in their places today, but in our darker moments it has been a matter of some amusement for Members on these Benches, who sit opposite the civil servants’ Box, to watch the teams moving backwards and forwards as we reach each new stage. Nevertheless, I pay tribute to them for their support and willingness to try to accommodate us where necessary. On that subject, I, too, make particular mention of Tim Oliver in our Whips’ Office, who has worked tirelessly in support of our team. Our view on the Bill is now well known. We think that some of it is unnecessary, some of it is undesirable and much of it is well intentioned; there is also some of it with which we simply disagree. The one point on which I think we will all agree is that it leaves this House in a very much better condition than it arrived, but not yet in a pristine condition. Bill passed and sent to the Commons.