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Housing and Regeneration Bill

I am grateful for noble Lords’ support for the amendment and for the comments of the Minister, in particular those on bringing profit-making alongside non-profit-making. I understand her reasons for that not always being appropriate and was grateful for her guidance. I turn to the substantive point incorporated in many of my amendments. The Minister addressed fully the transfer of land, to which Clause 252 relates. I have always known that the Secretary of State’s consent is required under Clause 253(4) before a transfer of land can be imposed, so that is not the most serious of the ways in which the regulator’s powers are being extended beyond cases where mismanagement is proved. I was concentrating more on Clause 248, on management transfer, and Clause 250, which gives powers to appoint the management and staff of the organisation. I was less than entirely satisfied by the Minister’s response on those points. It is likely that that I will return to the matter later. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 110ABB not moved.] Clause 248 agreed to. Clause 249 [Section 248: supplemental]: