Localism Bill

I welcome the hon. Member for City of Durham (Roberta Blackman-Woods) to the Front Bench and welcome her welcome for the amendments that we have introduced. I understand that she obviously has to go through the ritual motions of accusing us of U-turns, but what we actually have is a Government who are listening and ready to share their learning with the House. We did not come to the House with a finished product, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear from the moment the Bill was produced. I believe that the Bill has been improved at each stage of its progression and has now reached a state of perfection. The hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) has, as ever, skilfully brought to the House an issue of great importance to him and his constituents. I can tell him that, subject to events tonight, the Bill will go for Royal Assent later in the year and will come into force next year. He will not be surprised to hear that it does not contain any retrospective provisions and I am afraid there is nothing I can say that will make it retrospective. He invites me to join him in criticising the council for its decisions. That is his right and prerogative as a constituency MP and I am pleased that he is doing so but, in the spirit of localism, as a Minister I am bound to say that these are matters for local decision making, although I might have a view about the decision it took.