Planning Bill

My hon. Friend pre-empts me. I was going to suggest that he broker a meeting with my leading officials—if not with me—so that we can take the process a stage further. We could assess the impact of the industry's proposal and see how it would fit within the established devolution, and assess the extent to which the existing system of permitted development is working well. If my hon. Friend were prepared to broker such a meeting, it would be an important and useful next step. Finally, I come to amendment No. 325, which the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit Öpik) tabled. I suspect that behind the amendment lies a request to the Government to devolve the consideration of the applications to Welsh Ministers. We have had detailed discussions, not just with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform but with the Welsh Assembly Government and the Wales Office. Consistent with what I said earlier, we do not want to change the devolution settlement through this Bill , but to respect its significant points. The best approach for the long-term energy needs of this country is to develop reserve powers on nationally significant energy infrastructure, including the sort of power stations covered by the amendment. We made it clear in the White Paper that we did not propose to change the devolution settlement, so we have been consistent in our approach to the issue. Given that position, it is clear that such projects should be included within the IPC's remit; they would benefit from a quicker, more effective system of determination and consideration that gives a reinforced role to the public and enables them to have their say. I am not sure that it would serve Wales well if applications for major new generating stations there used the old regime while their equivalents in England used the new regime. I hope that that helped the House. I hope that I have explained matters and convinced Members that the Government's new clauses and amendments will reinforce and strengthen the Bill, and that their intent is one that the House can support. I hope that those of my hon. Friends and Opposition Members who tabled amendments can see that we have dealt with the issues about which they are concerned. I hope, therefore, that they will not find it necessary to press any of their amendments to a vote. If they do, I shall have to ask my hon. Friends to resist.