London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill

moved Amendment No. 54:"Page 8, line 45, at end insert—" ““(   )   Orders made under this section shall cease to have effect immediately after the end of the London Olympics period.”” The noble Baroness said: Amendments Nos. 54 to 58 address timing. How long will certain provisions apply? Amendment No. 54 proposes that orders made cease to have effect immediately after the end of the London Olympics period. The London Olympics period is defined at the beginning of the Bill as the period from four weeks before the Games to the end of the Games. Amendment No. 55 proposes that no order should take effect earlier than 1 January 2012. Amendments Nos. 56 and 57 would apply similarly to provisions regarding street lighting and cleaning. Amendment No. 58 relates to road closures. None of those dates is a magic date. These are probing amendments which seek to clarify how the provisions might apply. They are, however, important, because for the local and highways authorities concerned—I am thinking particularly about the London boroughs, but they are not exclusively affected—to operate efficiently, they need to know when the ODA intends to step in. They need to plan their works programmes; they need to know when their responsibilities will be superseded. Will that be next month? Will it be next year? We have been talking in benign terms about co-operation and partnerships, and getting the work done in a practical and pragmatic way. Certainty is required. I know that the London boroughs are concerned to know when these provisions will bite and when they will cease to bite. I beg to move.