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Parish Councils (Planning)

This is an important point, which might get to the nub of the issue. I apologise if my hon. Friend thinks that I am being tiresome, but it is important to develop the issue further. I am not sure that he is being ambitious enough for parish councils. On delegation, there has been an experiment in Taunton Deane and other parts of the country. Does he accept that, because of their proximity to the environment concerned, parish councils are in an excellent position to monitor what is going on from the enforcement point of view? In addition, with regard to smaller extensions or window and other minor changes, particularly in conservation areas, they are in a strong position to assist the planning process, given the professional assistance of the nearest local planning authority, because they have that local expertise. Surely they need to be given devolved powers to help to make those decisions.