Greater London Authority Bill

My Lords, when the noble Baroness read out my words, I hoped that there would be no hostages to fortune in them. It is clear that what I said on Report is the position that we have reached today. We have before us a Bill and not an Act. The board is about joint working. We want it to deliver change in waste management and it has been created to help to deliver the Mayor’s strategy and the boroughs’ functions. We therefore want the board to determine its own priorities; they will not be set out by the Government. It must adopt a partnership approach, but the amendment is unquestionably anti-partnership. If there is a partnership approach and good-quality leadership, there will be success; if there is no partnership and poor-quality leadership, there will be failure. It is a simple as that. That applies to all the parties concerned. We want the Mayor to chair the board to give it strategic direction. It would be an excellent vehicle for delivering real change and taking forward his strategy. As soon as the Bill receives Royal Assent, we will work closely with willing partners to ensure that, by next April, the priorities in and methodology for disbursing the fund, whatever sum of money is involved, are agreed. I know nothing about the announcements being made in the other place today. We cannot support the amendment because it is anti-partnership. If the Mayor does not wish to participate, that is ultimately a matter for him and not for the Government. We have set out the framework in the legislation. We believe that, with good leadership and willing partners, the board can be a success, but we cannot determine from the centre its priorities and its chairmanship. We would rather the Mayor chaired it, but if he chooses not to do so, that is his decision, for which he, not the Government, is responsible. I do not criticise the noble Baroness for coming back to the matter at this late stage of the Bill, but it makes no difference to our position. I have nothing to add to what I said on Report about either the money or the structure. I cannot comment on what was done or said during the Recess. When the Bill receives Royal Assent, the Government will seek to work with willing partners to bring about a successful outcome. A successful arrangement next April is in the interests of the Government and the boroughs. Work will commence once we have Royal Assent. Although the legislation predates my taking over responsibility for it in Defra, I understand the background to it. Once the Bill becomes an Act, changes may be made by the parties concerned.