Planning Bill

I am deeply disappointed at the noble Baroness’s view. I had hoped that she might at least take the matter back and discuss it with her colleagues. She has missed the point. It is for the other House to claim privilege; it is not for this House to take a view on what that privilege is. We have had a very long day. I have been on the Energy Bill too so we are quits on that. I am not sure that the Minister took the matter on board, so I will quote again from the Companion. It states: "““Each House of Parliament is guardian of its own privileges. It alone may invoke them. Until it does so the other House is free to act as it thinks fit””." The Chamber is not full, but given that there is support on every side of it for this amendment, and that it was strongly spoken to at Second Reading, I hope that the noble Baroness would say that there were strong feelings in this House. I did not go so far as the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, did when he said that the provision was offensive, but I have to say that I actually feel that myself. When you think, as the Delegated Powers Committee said, that national insurance, council tax, business rates, business improvements and the climate change levy regulations are all approved by both Houses, it is, if I may say so, offensive that the Government have decided that the community infrastructure levy is to be the privilege of the House of Commons on its own. If another place chooses to do that, of course that is its right, but I hope that the noble Baroness, perhaps in conjunction with the Leader of the House, will take back to her colleagues the strong feelings that have been expressed on the matter so that we may return to it and perhaps get a better answer. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 207 agreed to. Clause 208 [Relationship with other powers]: [Amendments Nos. 444A and 444B not moved.] Clause 208 agreed to.