Canterbury City Council Bill

The Minister's speech was most helpful. He talked about what I believe should happen: we should have a national policy. The Government are moving speedily and correctly in that direction, and it is for this House to decide on a national policy. My objection in principle to these Bills is that to provide a private Bill for each council that wants one is a ridiculous way to proceed in this day and age. I am grateful to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) who, quite rightly, feels passionately about the issue involved. I am aware of the important feelings that he has about that, and it is right that when we have private business people of the same political party should have differences of opinion on it. I have had representations from city councils, although I have not actually had them from Canterbury, so let me show their side of the coin. They say:""Problems include large groups of individuals selling goods such as balloons, flags, whistles etc from large, wheeled stalls. Most of those individuals usually claim to benefit from a pedlar's certificate. Their presence not only causes obstruction to pedestrians and projects a negative image of the area, but also results in complaints from legitimate street traders in the area who are subject to strict control by the local authority via conditions on their licence."" I am sure that that is entirely the case in Canterbury, but my argument would be that this is a matter for Parliament as a whole to decide. We should have a national policy and then delegate down to local authorities the decision on whether they enact the provisions or not. I welcome the Government's position on this matter.