Greater London Authority Bill

I hope that the hon. Gentleman does not mind, but I will not. We are rather short of time, as Madam Deputy Speaker has pointed out, and I have given way two or three times already. The Bill makes it clear that the Mayor has powers in respect of planning. For example, clause 30 gives him a power of intervention in respect of a local planning authority’s local development scheme. It allows him to direct boroughs to prepare revisions to their local development schemes, and we all know what that is a recipe for: by general diktat, the Mayor will be able to overrule the well developed plans of boroughs such as Bromley. The other curious thing about the Bill is that it gives the Mayor powers in matters where they appear unnecessary. For example, he is enjoined to look at all the health inequalities in the London area, but what on earth do we have NHS London or a strategic health authority for? That question is especially valid given the press release from NHS London dated yesterday, 11 December, that states:"““NHS London has asked Professor Sir Ara Darzi of Imperial College to develop a strategy to meet Londoners’ health needs over the next five to ten years.””" That is an example of duplication—the Government are asking NHS London to do something, and then asking the Mayor to do exactly the same thing. I believe that the Bill increases duplication, complexity, centralisation and cost. It lessens democracy and true localism. It is not the way forward for London.