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Housing and Regeneration Bill

I shall respond to hon. Members' comments about the amendments. The hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), who seemed to welcome the moves made with regard to the amendments, mentioned three points. First, he made welcome comments about our move with regard to design, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) referred. Secondly, he reiterated what he said in Committee about the relationship between the agency and local authorities. Thirdly, he mentioned the number of amendments—717—tabled by the Government since the Bill was introduced. The whole House would agree that this is an important Bill on a vital topic—housing and regeneration—and it is important that we get it right. I make no apologies for making changes and listening to points made by Members on both sides of the House, and by Members of the other place, to ensure that we get the legislation right. As I have tried to make clear throughout the Bill's passage, I am in listening mode. I have tried to take on board the points about sustainability made by my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham (Dr. Blackman-Woods), those about design made in another place and referred to in Committee, and those about accessibility made by the right hon. Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young). I have taken those and other points away for consideration, and tabled amendments. Therefore, I do not agree with the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield because I believe that there has been an element of political consensus to ensure appropriate scrutiny, and the Bill and its provisions have been much improved as a result.