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Housing and Regeneration Bill

How can anyone dispute that? The anomaly in the Bill has been inherited from the powers of the current bodies, which reinforces the point made earlier by the noble Viscount, Lord Eccles. We consulted on the basis that the HCA would have powers no less wide than those of its predecessor bodies. To secure that, we modelled many of the provisions in the Bill on the legislation that framed the Urban Regeneration Agency, the Commission for the New Towns and the Housing Corporation. The condition to which the amendment refers was modelled on the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. I agree with the noble Lord that, given the exceptional circumstances under which the designation powers are likely to be considered, Condition 2 seems highly unlikely to ever provide justification for the use of the designation order powers. I agree with the intent behind the amendment. I would like to take the opportunity to consider it further and return to the matter on Report.