Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]

I thank my hon. Friend for referring hon. Members to where they can better understand the language used in the Bill. I have long held a theory that the longer the title of a Bill, the more delphic its content, and this Bill is no different. I say that advisedly as the author of a book snappily titled "Non-food uses of agricultural raw materials: Economics, biotechnology and politics". Needless to say, the book did not find its way on to Richard and Judy's bestseller list. To return to the matter in hand, over and over again I found myself writing, "Why do we need to do this?" in the margins beside the clauses of the Bill. So much of the Bill is plain common sense, or is already best practice for some councils. Best practice should be spread by councils sharing and emulating the good ideas that well-run councils introduce, but does it need a change in the law to tell them how to do that? I do not think so. Will more legislation make councils do their jobs better? I doubt it. It will stifle innovation and suppress diversity, and I happen to believe that diversity drives up standards. Diversity is a far better tool for change than the dead hand of the state. The Bill is simply legislation for legislation's sake. By that, I mean that it is unnecessary, and even counter-productive for being so prescriptive. I invite hon. Members to admit that half the contents of the Bill are things that most decent local authorities are doing anyway. Why are we using valuable time in the Chamber, in Committee and in the other place debating legislation that dictates when, where and how councils go about promoting democracy? On the evidence of the Bill, I venture to suggest that Ministers should not be giving advice to anyone about how to promote democracy. Why not trust councils, which have to secure their own mandate, to manage their own ways of promoting democracy, and let them be judged by the voters?