I thank noble Lords for the unified support from across the House. It came from all Benches, it seems, other than perhaps one—and even that Bench seemed to be wavering a little at the end there.
I am surprised that a Conservative Government extolling growth want to undermine property rights and cost the economy billions of dollars. There is no explanation given other than the whispers of these undisclosed stakeholders. The Minister kindly explained that he has been listening and that there have been discussions and workshops, but we simply have not seen what those were and what the stakeholders said. I have to ask where they are holding the stake to convince the Government to persevere despite your Lordships’ consistent opposition to these provisions.
I note the Minister’s desire for fairness. As the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, has just noted, it seems that the Government want this provision to be equally unfair to every single site owner across the country.
The Minister also noted that the Government are trying to avoid costs going up. However, as we have seen, and as the RICS report stated, costs have risen exponentially as a result of the 2017 amendments, and here we are, doubling down on those, therefore only to increase costs further.
I think I heard the Minister accept that it will impact landowners’ desire to provide sites. I think he also noted that when you enter a lease you do so with the knowledge that the market might change and therefore the rent might change. I do not think that anyone entering a 1954 Act lease in 2015 would have expected that the rent would decrease by over 90% by 2022. I am sorry, but if the Minister suggests that that was a real expectation of the parties, it is simply not true.
5.45 pm
The Minister said that the telecoms companies should be treated like public utilities, which is why this legislation is being passed. If they are being treated like public utilities, can we please regulate them like public utilities and ensure that they do not abuse the position as they currently are doing?
The Minister noted that 107 new mast sites have been agreed this year, and negotiations have opened for 66. Is that the Government’s ambition, that we get 100 new masts a year? I am not sure that that will achieve the gigabit rollout that we all need.
Despite that, and in light of the fact that there are amendments to be debated later that may well address the issue of the review of these provisions, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.