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Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

My Lords, I sit here baffled—interested, but baffled—at the minutiae that are covered by the term ““local government””. The Committee knows well that my experience of local government does not go as deeply as the noble Lord’s into the democracy that we are seeking to cover. I wonder whether the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, is trying to cover every conceivable alternative. It cannot be done, especially when we bear in mind the views and experience of the Electoral Commission. He is trying also to cover in the Bill situations where movement can take place at a reasonable depth in a democracy. I respect the experience brought to this House by the noble Lord and others. I only hope that what the Minister said will encourage him to accept that it is impossible to cover every person in every situation at every convenience. The noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield, whom I greatly respect, speaks from his knowledge not only of a large body such as Essex County Council but also of the many smaller groupings within it. The Minister mentioned more than once community interests and intentions, which is what the Bill is about. If every ““t”” is crossed and every ““i”” dotted to take care of every conceivable situation, some of which will be contradictory, I fear that we will make people either bored or resentful of the fact that they are being driven and bound by central government. ““A balance has to be struck”” is a hackneyed phrase, but the Government have achieved it here. I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, will understand that and give way on his amendment.