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Localism Bill

My Lords, I agree with much of what my noble friend Lord Greaves has said. This is about the issue of competence. A power of general competence implies that people are able to do things because they are competent to do them, but for local authorities there is a separate meaning for ““competence””, which is the ability to do it. Local authorities have the ability to do it; maybe some do not but many do. Those that do not will have to grow in the role to enable them to do so. However, a four-page chapter in which the words ““Secretary of State”” are mentioned 19 times should not be part and parcel of a Localism Bill. I hope that between now and Report that further thought will be given to this and that someone somewhere might attempt to remove some of these mentions of the Secretary of State so that the words appear only where they really need to. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 133ZA withdrawn. Amendments 133ZB and 133ZC not moved. Clause 69 agreed. Clause 70 : Consideration of expression of interest Amendment 133ZD Clause 70 : Consideration of expression of interest Amendment 133ZD Moved by