I would like to thank the noble Lord for that reply, but I do not feel that I can. He has concentrated on the second part of the amendment, which is to do with divergence, but nowhere in the amendment does it say that that would be the only criteria, and he has not addressed the fundamental issue of the extent to which there will be public debate on this issue. The Secretary of State, officials and other people in the department will have to go through a regular thought process and discussion about whether now is the time to revalue. That will be an ongoing process. My amendment requires, in the interests of transparency, that that thinking is shared with both Houses of Parliament to enable parliamentarians and the wider world to see what is making the Government think at a particular time that revaluation is not necessary. So if, for example, housing commentators are screaming because the housing figures are demonstrating something, the Government will have an opportunity to say that that might be the case with the housing market, but there are other considerations that have led them not to agree that that is the right time for revaluation. I am asking for more transparency in the thought process. Fear of whipping up a media frenzy through open government and discussion is a risk that we all have to take in the interest of grown-up debate. I suspect that we will return to this matter on Report. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Baroness Scott of Needham Market
(Liberal Democrat)
in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 7 February 2006.
It occurred during Debate on bills
and
Committee proceeding on Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill.
About this proceeding contribution
Reference
678 c311-2GC Session
2005-06Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand CommitteeSubjects
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