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Local Transport Bill [HL]

My Lords, I will speak to two amendments in the group, one of which was just spoken to by the noble Lord, Lord Rosser. First, I ask the Minister to give us a clear statement on what is meant by ““political balance””. Does it mean that the ITA should reflect the votes given for each party in proportion, or does it mean the political balance in each council? The two things are quite different. Secondly, is it proposed to issue any guidance to ITAs on the sort of people whom they should seek to be non-elected ITA members? Thirdly, will he give thought to creating safeguards against an outgoing administration who know that they will not win an election packing the ITA with their friends and, as it were, lumbering the incoming administration with a group of people who will not work with them? Amendment No. 167 is on hybridisation, which is a complicated subject. The Minister emphasised the delay that would be occasioned by coming to the Chairman of Committees, who would rule whether the governance order was hybrid. Then this House would proceed quickly through hearing an aggrieved party; it might be an authority that does not want to be part of the ITA. When such a party has the opportunity of coming to Parliament, the House of Lords would convene its Hybrid Instruments Committee. The party has to have sufficient standing; it has to be someone who is protesting not just for old times’ sake, but from a point of proper locus standi. I take the Minister back to the passage of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 2004, which I am certain is not at his fingertips. It was dealt with rapidly in this House. Five groups of petitioners were found to have standing, including a local authority, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, a group of individuals and two campaign groups. However, the report of the Select Committee was published two weeks after the hearings, so there was no delay in this House.