Commons Bill [HL]

My Lords, I disagree with the noble Lord, Lord Tyler, and agree with my noble friend, whose amendment covers all the arrangements that the noble Lord, Lord Tyler, envisages. My noble friend has set it out perfectly well. On the other hand, I am a little doubtful about the wording of my noble friend’s amendment, which states,"““(including by applying for funds from any source)””." In my banking days I used to worry about reputable sources and disreputable ones. I hope very much that my noble friend will be able to say that the purpose of the amendment is to allow commons associations to apply for funds from reputable sources, but not from disreputable sources. We all know, in a world that goes along as it does, there may be occasions when someone will say, ““The commons association wants to do this, that or thus. Here am I, prepared to provide the funds””. What the downside is, we know not. I hope that my noble friend will be able to assure me, as a ministerial statement, that ““source”” means a reputable one.