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Greater London Authority Bill

Before the noble Baroness withdraws her amendment, perhaps I may make one or two comments. In relation to the question of requiring the Mayor to consult with the general public, I should like to put on the record the fact that, under Section 42 of the Greater London Assembly Act 1999, the Mayor should, before he implements a major area of policy, consult the Assembly and the functional bodies first, and in consulting more widely—including the London boroughs—he must also consult any other body that he considers appropriate. It is inconceivable that that would not mean Londoners and the general public. Further, I am sure that the noble Baroness will be delighted to know that when we come to debate the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, we will consider a new duty on best-value authorities—they will include the GLA, Transport for London and the London Development Agency—to encourage greater public participation in the exercise of their functions. That will include consultation with the public where appropriate. This is an important debate and I share entirely with the noble Baroness and all noble Lords who have spoken the wish to ensure that the process is as open and effective as possible. There may be further opportunities to strengthen areas of that process, particularly in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill.