I was saying that it applies to any local authority.
Amendment 32 would require the Secretary of State to consult for 60 days before he could lay a draft order before Parliament which would confer powers of a public authority on a combined authority. I am clear that this amendment is unnecessary and risks adding significant delay to the implementation of devolution deals agreed between the Government and the areas concerned. That we cannot countenance delay is not primarily because we are seeking some bureaucratic neatness or even public administration—desirable as those aims are—but because implementing those deals is critical to enabling areas to address the serious economic challenges that the country faces, including the great challenge on productivity.
As the Chancellor made clear in his Budget, addressing this challenge is key to delivering the financial security that families seek when living standards rise. We cannot delay this. Noble Lords have heard me say a number of times that the Government are open to discussing devolution proposals from all places, and that our approach is for areas to come forward with proposals that address their specific issues and opportunities. These are deals between the Government and civic leaders who have been elected by, and are democratically accountable to, those living in the area.
Amendment 33, which is in my name and which we will be discussing shortly, requires the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament a report whenever he lays an order which supports such a transfer of power, to provide further detailed information about the deal
and conferral of powers as proposed in the draft order. This report is designed to enhance the transparency of such deals and support parliamentary scrutiny.
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I am concerned that Amendment 32 would significantly delay the implementation of such a deal, perhaps by five to six months. As I have explained, I do not think it is an option to have bureaucratic and time-consuming processes slowing the actions needed to grow our economy, improve productivity and increase our competitiveness. Nothing would be gained by introducing the time-consuming processes associated with the requirement to make reports available to Parliament setting out the full details of a deal.
Amendment 34 would require the Secretary of State to publish a list of public authority functions which could be included in a devolution deal and subject to a transfer of functions under the Bill. Noble Lords have heard me say a number of times that we are open to discussing devolution proposals from all places. We have been clear that our approach is for areas to come forward with proposals that address the specific issues and opportunities for their area, and the Bill enables the implementation of such bespoke devolution deals. The nature of these changes will not be described in the Bill itself but set out individually in orders to implement changes in respect of each proposal approved and brought forward by the Secretary of State. These orders will be considered by both Houses of Parliament under the affirmative procedure.
Amendment 67 would place a duty on a combined authority which uses powers under the Bill to publish a plan relating to the provision of social welfare. This approach is also inconsistent with the Government’s approach, which is to invite local areas to make proposals about the powers and functions they wish to be devolved and transferred. This would, in essence, require all combined authorities to publish such a plan, whether or not it would be effective and efficient for the combined authority to exercise this function. With these lengthy explanations, I hope noble Lords will agree not to press these amendments.