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Broads Authority Bill (By Order)

I did indeed chair the Committee, which included the hon. Members for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb) and for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge) and my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, North (Jim Sheridan). There were not extensive concerns from across the spectrum at all, but the key concern that we heard from the people from whom we took evidence was about the accountability and representative nature of the Broads Authority. It was important that our comments to the House covered the suggestion that that concern should be remedied through direct election, such as that which we see in the national park authorities and elsewhere. I hope that what is proposed and what the Minister requires will be adequate to meet the concerns that we heard over the days in which we took evidence. That is very important. I found most of the rest of the Bill to be worth while and understandable.