My Lords, I apologise to the Committee that I was unable to speak in the Second Reading debate. I had a funeral to attend elsewhere.
My contribution is very small but I want to enforce what my noble friend has just said. Having worked in the voluntary sector for many years, I can say that it was always one of the problems we had. It has become increasingly more difficult over recent years with the economic climate in which local authorities have to work. We can understand in some ways why this has been geared up. It is a very real issue. Perhaps I should declare an interest. I do not have many to declare but one of them would be affected by this. I am president of the Leicestershire group for young people. It used to be called Clubs for Young People, but it is now called Young Leicestershire. It is a good example of an organisation that looks to get some financial support from local authorities. Again and again, it is a matter of how much information has to be given, how much possibility of acquiring it, and how much time is given to it. I hope the Minister can reflect on this because if we do not include the public authorities, it would be an opportunity missed. Unless the Minister can tell us that it is already covered by something else, it is an issue to which we will return later. I encourage her to reflect on it.
4.30 pm