---

Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

As is so often the case, my noble friend Lord Borrie has got this right. I take the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Cope, as a probing amendment on this issue. I think he will agree that not only the word ““must””, which appears in his Amendments Nos. 37 and 40, but also the word ““any”” in the same line would imply every single regulation and piece of legislation. With the best will in the world—and I think that the noble Lord has accepted this—that would be too much to ask the LBRO to do. Having said that, the noble Lord has raised an important issue. It is part of the LBRO’s role in advising government to look at legislative proposals. Clause 9(1)(b), as the noble Lord said, covers that to some extent but, even if it does not, Clause 9(1)(d) does. I would argue that, "““any other matter relating to the exercise by local authorities in England or Wales of their relevant functions””," must include new legislation, new orders, and regulations coming from Europe. This should be an important part of what the LBRO does—to anticipate what the Government and national regulators intend and give advice about such regulations. I thank the noble Lord for moving his amendment but respectfully ask him to withdraw it.