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London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill

The mechanics of this sound awfully difficult. It will be clear from the beginning when in the ODA there is some discussion about land—whether that be the main arena or all sorts of other places. It will be clear that any discussions will eventually end up with the need for planning permission and the need for the ODA and its special role as a planning authority to make that determination. I am puzzled by my noble friend’s explanation. Does he mean that right from the beginning, whenever there is any discussion about land by the ODA, it had better bear in mind that it is desirable that those people who form part of the planning role of the ODA should have nothing to do with the preliminary arrangements? In that way they will be preserved in aspic, so to speak, for the moment when the planning decision has to be made. Is that what the Minister means, and does it involve the careful evolution of the set-up from the beginning both of members and of employees—they are mentioned as well—to ensure that the key people who will be engaged in planning decisions have nothing whatever to do with the preliminary arrangements and negotiations?