UK Parliament / Open data

Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

That is right. I thought that we were discussing this a little prematurely, so I will say no more about it at the moment. The Minister suggested that Amendment 92 was too wide ranging. She will be pleased to learn that I agree with her; I put it down to probe and provoke, and to get a discussion going. However, I am clear that the Bill is too narrow and that we should find a form of wording somewhere in between. Perhaps we might discuss that further with her, but it may well also refer to Amendment 117. I think that what the Minister said about Clause 20 was wrong in this context. The clause is about the handling of petitions by other bodies and provides that the Secretary of State in England and the appropriate national authority in Wales—the Welsh Assembly—may by order, "““make provision for the handling of petitions by any body to which this section applies””." I hear what the Minister says. When I was reading this, I understood it to mean that petitions would be presented to those bodies, but if it also encompasses petitions that are presented to the principal local authority and passed on to those bodies, that is an interesting and wider interpretation than I had previously thought. I think it is wider than how most people just coming to it will understand it. Again, perhaps we might discuss the exact wording to make absolutely clear what it includes. Although I feel that there is further discussion to be had on the basic issue, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 92 withdrawn.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

707 c89-90GC 

Session

2008-09

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords Grand Committee
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