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Housing and Regeneration Bill

I am grateful for all that, and am happy with the responses to the second and third amendments. I am less happy with the points made about the first and about the effect of a binding agreement being in place to sell a property to a third party. The Minister sought to reassure me by talking about the transaction being delayed. As I understand it, however, the transaction could in effect be avoided; if consent was not given, the transaction could not go ahead. I take the Minister’s points, but there is a lot to be said for this being on all fours with liquidation, and possibly administration, in the commercial sector. I am concerned by the prospect of an ““innocent”” third party being adversely affected by something completely outside his control. In the world of real property, the agreement and the competition of the agreement are two separate points in the process, although they sometimes come close together. It is no small thing for that well established position to be dealt with differently in this circumstance. Perhaps I might talk to the Minister about this after Committee. She nods; I am grateful. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 144, as amended, agreed to. Clause 145 [Moratorium]: