Bournemouth Borough Council Bill [Lords]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that, but I am not sure that he understands my main point, which is that since the 1982 Act was introduced we have had the services directive, which came into effect on 31 December. Although other local Bills might have been enacted with equivalent provisions to those contained in clause 4, I do not think that it is open to Parliament—my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Mr. Cash) has different views about this—to bring forward legislation that is inconsistent with a European directive.