Perhaps I may deal with that point immediately. The noble Lord, I think, said that he was in favour of having mechanisms whereby the activities of the government office could be challenged. The problem is that currently there is no mechanism whereby the activities of the government office can be...

Perhaps I may deal with that point immediately. The noble Lord, I think, said that he was in favour of having mechanisms whereby the activities of the government office could be challenged. The problem is that currently there is no mechanism whereby the activities of the government office can be...

I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in the debate. I must say to the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, that if the GLA is a unique animal, I hope that she would at least allow the insertion of ““regional””, because the GLA is a unique regional animal, even if...

I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in the debate. I must say to the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, that if the GLA is a unique animal, I hope that she would at least allow the insertion of ““regional””, because the GLA is a unique regional animal, even if...

I believe that we made similar arguments in respect of the budget. The Mayor has responsibility for the total component budget and the Assembly’s role is to challenge the headline figures. It does not get involved in discussing the detailed scrutiny, which is a job for the component bodies. That...

I believe that we made similar arguments in respect of the budget. The Mayor has responsibility for the total component budget and the Assembly’s role is to challenge the headline figures. It does not get involved in discussing the detailed scrutiny, which is a job for the component bodies. That...

I thank the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 119 and 120 not moved.]

I thank the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 119 and 120 not moved.]

moved Amendment No. 120B: 120B: Clause 50, page 49, line 33, leave out ““(whenever passed or made)”” and insert ““passed or made before this Act”” The noble Baroness said: Amendment No. 120B is a technical amendment that was tabled in response to a recommendation by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory...

moved Amendment No. 120B: 120B: Clause 50, page 49, line 33, leave out ““(whenever passed or made)”” and insert ““passed or made before this Act”” The noble Baroness said: Amendment No. 120B is a technical amendment that was tabled in response to a recommendation by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory...

I thank the Minister for his reply. Of course I will give him credit—low-carbon credit—for his very helpful suggestion; I am glad that he feels able to take that on board. I have learnt something in the debate about what a great centre of waste Essex is; I look forward...

I thank the Minister for his reply. Of course I will give him credit—low-carbon credit—for his very helpful suggestion; I am glad that he feels able to take that on board. I have learnt something in the debate about what a great centre of waste Essex is; I look forward...

had given notice of her intention to move Amendment No. 113: 113: Clause 40, page 43, leave out lines 14 and 15 and insert— ““(a) the National Consumer Council,”” The noble Baroness said: The Committee will be relieved to hear that I feel that Amendment No. 113 was very adequately...

had given notice of her intention to move Amendment No. 113: 113: Clause 40, page 43, leave out lines 14 and 15 and insert— ““(a) the National Consumer Council,”” The noble Baroness said: The Committee will be relieved to hear that I feel that Amendment No. 113 was very adequately...

Before we hear from the Government, I apologise to the Committee and to the noble Lord that the amendment is, as the noble Lord described it, weak and watery. Given the muscle that the noble Lord has shown in Amendment No. 120A, I would be happy to work with him...

Before we hear from the Government, I apologise to the Committee and to the noble Lord that the amendment is, as the noble Lord described it, weak and watery. Given the muscle that the noble Lord has shown in Amendment No. 120A, I would be happy to work with him...

Clause 49 inserts new Section 401A into the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which relates to the provision of administrative, professional or technical services—what might be called back-office services. That is in no way intended to be a derogatory term. Having run a charity for many years, I know how...

Clause 49 inserts new Section 401A into the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which relates to the provision of administrative, professional or technical services—what might be called back-office services. That is in no way intended to be a derogatory term. Having run a charity for many years, I know how...

Is it not rather profligate with the planet’s resources to require that yet more paper be circulated to London householders? It will be stuffed through their doors, where they will probably discard it and simply consider the bill and the bottom line they will be required to pay. I am...

Is it not rather profligate with the planet’s resources to require that yet more paper be circulated to London householders? It will be stuffed through their doors, where they will probably discard it and simply consider the bill and the bottom line they will be required to pay. I am...

The Minister’s response is very helpful. She has clearly outlined the role of the Government Office for London in co-ordinating several aspects of government policy, not all of which, I accept, are necessarily part of the Greater London Authority’s responsibility. However, I am not sure whether she has addressed the...

The Minister’s response is very helpful. She has clearly outlined the role of the Government Office for London in co-ordinating several aspects of government policy, not all of which, I accept, are necessarily part of the Greater London Authority’s responsibility. However, I am not sure whether she has addressed the...

I add my support to the amendment. I suspect that the Minister will not like the words which the noble Baroness has chosen, but they give us a chance to talk about renewable energy as well. I am obviously anxious that we should continue to encourage better use of waste,...

I add my support to the amendment. I suspect that the Minister will not like the words which the noble Baroness has chosen, but they give us a chance to talk about renewable energy as well. I am obviously anxious that we should continue to encourage better use of waste,...

No, I have to make this clear; the last thing that we need to do here is talk about government money. The Government have to create the climate and the market and then let the providers provide. If these things are all predicated on the basis of government grants, they...

No, I have to make this clear; the last thing that we need to do here is talk about government money. The Government have to create the climate and the market and then let the providers provide. If these things are all predicated on the basis of government grants, they...

I shall do better than answer the point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Byford; I shall suggest a better way of drafting the amendment, should the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, wish to retable it on Report. To define ““clean or green”” in legal terms would be very difficult. I...

I shall do better than answer the point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Byford; I shall suggest a better way of drafting the amendment, should the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, wish to retable it on Report. To define ““clean or green”” in legal terms would be very difficult. I...

Basildon in Essex is about to build an anaerobic digestion plant, but that is for south Essex rather than for London. It will be one of the largest anaerobic digestion plants in the United Kingdom. If the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, as a Minister in that department, could find some...

Basildon in Essex is about to build an anaerobic digestion plant, but that is for south Essex rather than for London. It will be one of the largest anaerobic digestion plants in the United Kingdom. If the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, as a Minister in that department, could find some...

I thank the Minister for widening the debate as this subject is enormously important. I was put in touch with somebody last week who is talking about a new system that uses plasma and which heats things up to an enormous heat. I havenot had a chance to look at...

I thank the Minister for widening the debate as this subject is enormously important. I was put in touch with somebody last week who is talking about a new system that uses plasma and which heats things up to an enormous heat. I havenot had a chance to look at...

The noble Lord might care to add that, in the case of the constituency Members with two or three boroughs making up their patch, as he puts it, there are few where there is the same party in majority control of the boroughs making up that patch. It is, in...

The noble Lord might care to add that, in the case of the constituency Members with two or three boroughs making up their patch, as he puts it, there are few where there is the same party in majority control of the boroughs making up that patch. It is, in...

It is always gratifying to be commended for originality. It does not necessarily mean that you get anything other than nul points at the end of the analysis. I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to the discussion. I note that both opposition parties clearly think that...

It is always gratifying to be commended for originality. It does not necessarily mean that you get anything other than nul points at the end of the analysis. I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to the discussion. I note that both opposition parties clearly think that...

Will my noble friend give way? Is the point not that in conditions of it being known that two-thirds could undermine the strategy, that would then invite from the boroughs the very pressure I was referring to? It may well not come through the local authorities, but the political associations.

Will my noble friend give way? Is the point not that in conditions of it being known that two-thirds could undermine the strategy, that would then invite from the boroughs the very pressure I was referring to? It may well not come through the local authorities, but the political associations.

I agree to consider this amendment. In tackling a problem like climate change, I acknowledge that the Mayor may need to take a national as well as an international perspective. In deciding whether and how the authority uses its general powers, it could be reasonable for issues beyond the boundaries...

I agree to consider this amendment. In tackling a problem like climate change, I acknowledge that the Mayor may need to take a national as well as an international perspective. In deciding whether and how the authority uses its general powers, it could be reasonable for issues beyond the boundaries...