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Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill

I agree with my hon. Friend, but nothing under present legislation stops Braintree council having regard to such things. Indeed, he has introduced into the debate an air of reality. If councils want, they can already do such things, and if they are not doing them, it can be an issue at the local elections. Perhaps councillors who want to do so will be elected at by-elections or district council elections. Of course, we hear that the Government want to defer the district council elections in 2007, but that is a side issue. If there are elections and the Government do not abolish them, it is possible for people who want their councils to become more involved in tackling climate change, global warming, fuel poverty and so on to press for just that: they can stand for election or promote candidates who want their local council to promote such policies. Surely that is what localism is all about, and it is why the Minister has been squeezed between saying on the one hand that new clause 4 is tremendously important and accepting on the other that it will not increase the burdens or responsibilities placed on local authorities one iota. It cannot work both ways. If new clause 4 would leave the law alone—it just engages in a bit of gesture politics—that offends against all the principles of deregulation that the Government propose. I have spent much of the past two weeks as a member of the Standing Committee that is considering the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, which would, if implemented—perhaps you would be pleased with this, Madam Deputy Speaker—completely negate the purpose of any Friday sittings. Any such Bill could be pushed through by the Government without the need for any primary legislation. [Hon. Members: ““Hear, hear.””] Labour Members cheer because they think that the Executive are on their side. I am not so sure whether they would be cheering so much—