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Housing and Regeneration Bill

This has been an interesting and far-reaching debate. The noble Baroness talked about objective 10 but did not agree that it is in the wrong place. I cannot understand her arguments for that. It seems to sit awkwardly where it is. The whole business of proportionality, as the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, said, entails an overarching approach to how things are done, not what is to be done. That point was echoed also by the noble Baroness, Lady Falkner. Putting this objective as number 10 in the list is just not the right place for it. Our amendment places it at the top followed by the nine objectives dealing with what has to be done. We feel that that is a natural progression of events. I cannot understand the noble Baroness’s reasoning. I shall have to reread carefully what she said. The noble Baroness also did not like our next amendment, on information. I think she said that it should come in somewhere else, in Clause 201 or 203. I shall have to look again at what she said and at those two clauses. However, our amendment follows the Cave recommendation which says that empowerment requires information. That is why we felt it was important to put it in here, in the objectives for the regulator, rather than tucking it away somewhere at the back of the Bill. We thought that was quite important. Our next amendment, Amendment No. 103E, deals with the level playing field. If we do not have a level playing field then some providers will be at a great advantage to others. Those that have to be regulated will not have a level playing field as they will have constantly to spend time and resources getting the right boxes ticked by the regulator while others are able to get ahead with the project. It is not a level playing field and there should be one. I understand that there are issues about VAT as well. Some have VAT and some do not. That seems cack-handed. If we are trying to get providers to provide social housing they all ought to be on the same footing. On the amendment tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Wilkins, to include the word inclusive, we agree with her that although it is just another word, it does sum up an awful lot that needs to be done. That point was debated in another place, where Sir George Young talked about empowering disabled people. The aim of the noble Baroness’s amendment would undoubtedly improve the Bill and ensure that houses are built to lifetime home standards. We quite liked her amendment. The amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Mawson, is very interesting. He obviously has great experience in his field. He talked about the large sums that the Government will spend on housing and how that should trigger social innovation. It is not just about the building of bricks and mortar but also about all the other things that it should encompass as well. He mentioned regulatory creep and how increased regulation will discourage and dampen enterprise and add to the burden of costs and delays to the projects. The Government need to encourage enterprise and innovation and not stifle it with overregulation. I shall read with interest what the Minister says, but at this stage I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 102A to 103A not moved.]