My Lords, I regret not having taken part in Committee. If you come to the arguments on Report quite fresh, they have a curiously powerful impact. This afternoon, we have heard speeches on aspects of the amendments on rural needs and ambitions that have been very powerful. We do not...

My Lords, I regret not having taken part in Committee. If you come to the arguments on Report quite fresh, they have a curiously powerful impact. This afternoon, we have heard speeches on aspects of the amendments on rural needs and ambitions that have been very powerful. We do not...

My Lords, I am sorry, but I did not think I could improve on what my honourable friend said in the other place. It is not just about the returning officer. I said that it was helpful to everyone involved to know where they were. I do not have to...

My Lords, I am sorry, but I did not think I could improve on what my honourable friend said in the other place. It is not just about the returning officer. I said that it was helpful to everyone involved to know where they were. I do not have to...

My Lords, I think that I detected some support for the order. My heart rose when I heard the noble Earl’s first few sentences, but it sank progressively as he listed his complaints. I shall deal with them and leave the issues regarding Cornwall to the last. Given this momentous...

My Lords, I think that I detected some support for the order. My heart rose when I heard the noble Earl’s first few sentences, but it sank progressively as he listed his complaints. I shall deal with them and leave the issues regarding Cornwall to the last. Given this momentous...

Yes, my Lords, I can confirm that. On Question, Motion agreed to.

Yes, my Lords, I can confirm that. On Question, Motion agreed to.

rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 7 October be approved. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, we are today considering the draft of an order to move the date of the local government elections in England in 2009 from Thursday 7 May to the...

rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 7 October be approved. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, we are today considering the draft of an order to move the date of the local government elections in England in 2009 from Thursday 7 May to the...

My Lords, as I have a very fine answer on that, I shall not be denied the opportunity to read it. The noble Lord was going to ask what the arrangements would be for the returning officer for European elections in the new unitary councils. It is a very good...

My Lords, as I have a very fine answer on that, I shall not be denied the opportunity to read it. The noble Lord was going to ask what the arrangements would be for the returning officer for European elections in the new unitary councils. It is a very good...

Draft Local Elections (Ordinary Day of Elections in 2009) Order 2008. Lords debate on a motion to approve. Agreed to on question.

Draft Local Elections (Ordinary Day of Elections in 2009) Order 2008. Lords debate on a motion to approve. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I am not entirely sure that I can give my noble friend much satisfaction. I feel that I have strayed slightly into a debate on a different area of policy. The basic issues are complex. Both noble Lords who have spoken are expert and are used to debating...

My Lords, I am not entirely sure that I can give my noble friend much satisfaction. I feel that I have strayed slightly into a debate on a different area of policy. The basic issues are complex. Both noble Lords who have spoken are expert and are used to debating...

My Lords, my noble friend is clearly playing devil’s advocate, which is something he can do but is not his usual style. I cannot answer that question, just as I cannot pre-empt what Sir Ronnie Flanagan is going to say. His remit is to review the police service and, in...

My Lords, my noble friend is clearly playing devil’s advocate, which is something he can do but is not his usual style. I cannot answer that question, just as I cannot pre-empt what Sir Ronnie Flanagan is going to say. His remit is to review the police service and, in...

My Lords, we certainly wrestled with this very complicated idea and I did my best to explain the issue. It is complicated but I can now take the House a little further forward and give a bit more background. However, I say to the noble Baroness at the start that...

My Lords, we certainly wrestled with this very complicated idea and I did my best to explain the issue. It is complicated but I can now take the House a little further forward and give a bit more background. However, I say to the noble Baroness at the start that...

moved Amendment No. 59: 59: Clause 221, page 161, line 18, leave out ““a local authority”” and insert— ““(a) a local authority; (b) a National Health Service trust; (c) an NHS foundation trust; (d) a Primary Care Trust; or (e) a Strategic Health Authority.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords,...

moved Amendment No. 59: 59: Clause 221, page 161, line 18, leave out ““a local authority”” and insert— ““(a) a local authority; (b) a National Health Service trust; (c) an NHS foundation trust; (d) a Primary Care Trust; or (e) a Strategic Health Authority.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords,...

My Lords, I can confirm both matters raised by the noble Baronesses. I can certainly give an absolute assurance on the question raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham. The guidance will produce clarity.

My Lords, I can confirm both matters raised by the noble Baronesses. I can certainly give an absolute assurance on the question raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham. The guidance will produce clarity.

My Lords, when we debated conflicts of interest at earlier stages of the Bill we talked about the practice that voluntary organisations traditionally have of managing interests. This is not a new situation to them. Dealing with conflicts of interest was one of the criteria for making a robust arrangement...

My Lords, when we debated conflicts of interest at earlier stages of the Bill we talked about the practice that voluntary organisations traditionally have of managing interests. This is not a new situation to them. Dealing with conflicts of interest was one of the criteria for making a robust arrangement...

moved Amendment No. 60: 60: After Clause 221, insert the following new Clause— ““Arrangements: power to make further provision (1) The Secretary of State must make regulations which provide that arrangements made under section 220(1) (““local authority arrangements””) must require prescribed provision to be included in local involvement network arrangements....

moved Amendment No. 60: 60: After Clause 221, insert the following new Clause— ““Arrangements: power to make further provision (1) The Secretary of State must make regulations which provide that arrangements made under section 220(1) (““local authority arrangements””) must require prescribed provision to be included in local involvement network arrangements....

moved Amendment No. 61: 61: After Clause 225, insert the following new Clause— ““Transitional arrangements (1) When a local authority becomes subject to the duty in section 220(1), it also becomes subject to the following duty. (2) That duty (““the temporary duty””) is to ensure until the relevant time that...

moved Amendment No. 61: 61: After Clause 225, insert the following new Clause— ““Transitional arrangements (1) When a local authority becomes subject to the duty in section 220(1), it also becomes subject to the following duty. (2) That duty (““the temporary duty””) is to ensure until the relevant time that...

My Lords, I give the noble Earl that assurance. On Question, amendment agreed to.

My Lords, I give the noble Earl that assurance. On Question, amendment agreed to.

moved Amendments Nos. 37 and 38: 37: Clause 94, page 64, line 11, at end insert— ““( ) But subsection (3) does not apply if any part of the parish mentioned in subsection (1) is currently— (a) a parish which has a council, or (b) part of such a parish.””...

moved Amendments Nos. 37 and 38: 37: Clause 94, page 64, line 11, at end insert— ““( ) But subsection (3) does not apply if any part of the parish mentioned in subsection (1) is currently— (a) a parish which has a council, or (b) part of such a parish.””...

My Lords, this is a refreshing return to some of the fundamental principles in the Bill. I could not agree more with the noble Lord in that I do not for a moment believe that Whitehall knows best. The thrust, burden and tone of the Bill and of the debate...

My Lords, this is a refreshing return to some of the fundamental principles in the Bill. I could not agree more with the noble Lord in that I do not for a moment believe that Whitehall knows best. The thrust, burden and tone of the Bill and of the debate...

My Lords, I feel that I have answered most of these amendments previously and I try not to repeat myself. I appreciate the spirit in which the noble Baroness has moved the amendments and the seriousness with which we have debated over the past three stages the relationship between local...

My Lords, I feel that I have answered most of these amendments previously and I try not to repeat myself. I appreciate the spirit in which the noble Baroness has moved the amendments and the seriousness with which we have debated over the past three stages the relationship between local...

moved Amendment No. 49: 49: Clause 121, page 83, line 25, leave out from ““matters”” to end of line 26 and insert ““in relation to which the committee has functions under or by virtue of section 19.”””” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, throughout the passage of the Bill it...

moved Amendment No. 49: 49: Clause 121, page 83, line 25, leave out from ““matters”” to end of line 26 and insert ““in relation to which the committee has functions under or by virtue of section 19.”””” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, throughout the passage of the Bill it...