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Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

I very much agree with the Minister’s last observations and I suspect that there is consensus on the point that he makes. I am interested in the references to halves. Perhaps it comes of having lived a sheltered life in the London boroughs and the home counties, where elections are either all-out or by thirds, but I am interested to hear whether there is any significant demand for elections by halves, how many local authorities come out for halves, and what place that option holds in the argument. I can see the argument for all-out elections, which the Minister has advanced, and I can see the argument for thirds—that, too, has been advanced, and it is well known to all of us—but election by halves seems an odd hybrid animal. Perhaps it is an historical anomaly. I would be interested to hear the Minister’s thoughts. Is it a route that the Government seek to encourage; is it merely included as an option, as a result of their desire to maximise devolution; or would it simply preserve the historical practices in one or two parts of the country?