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Regeneration

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and it is good to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Howarth. We were involved in the previous Government's sustainable communities project, which did not have much local involvement at all. It reported directly to the relevant Minister; I think that the first one was Mr John Prescott, as he then was. Lord Rooker was responsible for the report that started that project, but when he was asked about local involvement at a meeting, he said, ““Our job is to push through the Government's plans.”” That attitude concerns me enormously, and we need to learn from it. Does my hon. Friend think that that is a proper view to take?