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Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I am grateful for that detailed response. On appointments, a Speaker’s Committee has a status which is perhaps not recognised simply by talking about an appointment being an appointment by Parliament. The noble Lord suggested, rightly, that there are quite polarised political positions within the House of Commons. However, I have sought to take the politics out, not add them in. On the chairmanship, I thought that it would be implicit that the restriction would apply to the ordinary membership of a chair who had been removed because of, for example, a criminal conviction, so that someone who had gone for bad reasons would not be eligible. I am grateful for the explanations and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 159ZEF withdrawn. Clause 49 agreed.