Greater London Authority Bill

My Lords, I have added my name to the amendment. As I said earlier, I originally supported the idea of there being an authority, an SWDA, in accordance with the Mayor’s briefing. That was not acceptable to everybody and it needed consensus, which it has not yet received. The amendment before us is a compromise, as my noble friend Lord Warner said. It would expand the range of situations where the Secretary of State could exercise powers to establish a single waste disposal authority for London if local authorities do not significantly improve their performance. We know from the briefing with which we have been supplied that some local authorities do not have a very good record in this respect. The amendment would give an opportunity for the Secretary of State to intervene and for a London authority to be established. The amendment is a compromise and I hope that my noble friends on the Front Bench will accept it in that spirit. The Mayor has already said that he will continue to monitor and highlight waste disposal and ensure that Londoners are aware of the impact of government policies in this regard. The amendment is a reasonable compromise and, in the circumstances, I hope that it will be acceptable.