This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/63 which was prepared for Commons Second Reading. The Bill gives effect to the Coalition Government’s commitment to stop the restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon. Specifically, it would prevent implementation of any of the existing proposals for single-tier local government made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. No amendments were made to the Bill in committee.

This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/63 which was prepared for Commons Second Reading. The Bill gives effect to the Coalition Government’s commitment to stop the restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon. Specifically, it would prevent...

The Bill gives effect to the Coalition Government’s commitment to stop the restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon. Specifically the Bill would prevent implementation of any of the existing proposals for a single-tier local government structure made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords and was introduced into the House of Commons on 11 October 2010. This briefing was prepared to inform the Second Reading debate on the Bill.

The Bill gives effect to the Coalition Government’s commitment to stop the restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon. Specifically the Bill would prevent implementation of any of the existing proposals for a single-tier local government structure made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007....

My Lords—

My Lords—

But the argument advanced by the noble Baroness and the noble Lord was much more applicable to counties. I was a member of Devon County Council in the long-distant past, when I was very young—I was 22. I then had the experience of seeing the County Borough of Torbay taken...

But the argument advanced by the noble Baroness and the noble Lord was much more applicable to counties. I was a member of Devon County Council in the long-distant past, when I was very young—I was 22. I then had the experience of seeing the County Borough of Torbay taken...

My Lords, in responding to the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Low, I simply point out that the arguments about the costs of by-elections now to be held in September illustrate one of the many reasons why it would have been far better to have approved the fatal amendment...

My Lords, in responding to the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Low, I simply point out that the arguments about the costs of by-elections now to be held in September illustrate one of the many reasons why it would have been far better to have approved the fatal amendment...

4: Clause 2, page 1, line 14, leave out subsection (2) and insert— ““(2) Subject to subsection (2A) this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint. (2A) No order may be made under subsection (2) until the Secretary of State has...

4: Clause 2, page 1, line 14, leave out subsection (2) and insert— ““(2) Subject to subsection (2A) this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint. (2A) No order may be made under subsection (2) until the Secretary of State has...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this debate. I am sorry that the Minister has felt unable to move on this, particularly in the light of the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Low of Dalston. As I mentioned earlier, the Minister said in...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this debate. I am sorry that the Minister has felt unable to move on this, particularly in the light of the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Low of Dalston. As I mentioned earlier, the Minister said in...

My Lords, I can say simply that I will not accept this amendment. I have heard once again all the arguments in favour, and I have listened to the noble Lord, Lord Low, very carefully. Statute is for interpretation. The fact is that these two authorities have landed themselves in...

My Lords, I can say simply that I will not accept this amendment. I have heard once again all the arguments in favour, and I have listened to the noble Lord, Lord Low, very carefully. Statute is for interpretation. The fact is that these two authorities have landed themselves in...

My Lords, we have had two contributions from the noble Baroness, Lady Shephard, and the Minister, who both make the same point—that government cannot legislate for local authorities to get on with each other. I completely agree, but that is not what this amendment does. They have answered a wider...

My Lords, we have had two contributions from the noble Baroness, Lady Shephard, and the Minister, who both make the same point—that government cannot legislate for local authorities to get on with each other. I completely agree, but that is not what this amendment does. They have answered a wider...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Shephard, for her contribution, because she has summed up very clearly what the attitude ought to be about this. It is not government business to try to ensure that counties and districts get on together; nor is it government business to ensure...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Shephard, for her contribution, because she has summed up very clearly what the attitude ought to be about this. It is not government business to try to ensure that counties and districts get on together; nor is it government business to ensure...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a lifelong citizen of the county of Norfolk, as a former Norfolk county councillor who on one occasion represented a city division, and as a former Norfolk Member of Parliament. I shall be very brief. The thrust of the amendment was extensively debated...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a lifelong citizen of the county of Norfolk, as a former Norfolk county councillor who on one occasion represented a city division, and as a former Norfolk Member of Parliament. I shall be very brief. The thrust of the amendment was extensively debated...

My Lords, the Minister has kindly written to those of us who participated in Committee and challenged her assessment of the costs and savings of Norwich and Exeter going unitary, and we are grateful. This amendment seeks to build on her information and take it forward to build the partnership...

My Lords, the Minister has kindly written to those of us who participated in Committee and challenged her assessment of the costs and savings of Norwich and Exeter going unitary, and we are grateful. This amendment seeks to build on her information and take it forward to build the partnership...

3: Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— ““Expenditure There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any expenditure incurred by the Cities of Norwich and Exeter in connection with by-elections arising from the quashing by the Court of the Norwich and Norfolk (Structural Changes) Order 2010 and...

3: Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— ““Expenditure There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any expenditure incurred by the Cities of Norwich and Exeter in connection with by-elections arising from the quashing by the Court of the Norwich and Norfolk (Structural Changes) Order 2010 and...

My Lords, we have had one hour’s consideration of a matter which is nothing to do with this Bill. We have spent one hour listening to the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, and others giving us a treatise on local government organisation. That is not what this Bill is about. We...

My Lords, we have had one hour’s consideration of a matter which is nothing to do with this Bill. We have spent one hour listening to the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, and others giving us a treatise on local government organisation. That is not what this Bill is about. We...

1: Clause 1, page 1, line 3, at beginning insert ““Subject to the proviso in subsection (1A)””

1: Clause 1, page 1, line 3, at beginning insert ““Subject to the proviso in subsection (1A)””

My Lords, I wish to speak in support of Amendments 1 and 2. These amendments invite the Government to reintroduce principle into their consideration of local government restructuring. The Secretary of State would be obliged by 2013 to consider whether further unitary reorganisations might in principle be permitted, and to...

My Lords, I wish to speak in support of Amendments 1 and 2. These amendments invite the Government to reintroduce principle into their consideration of local government restructuring. The Secretary of State would be obliged by 2013 to consider whether further unitary reorganisations might in principle be permitted, and to...

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendment 2. These two amendments provide that a relevant order may be made after the commencement of the Act and that the Secretary of State must, within three years, publish criteria that will apply for a replacement order to be made. Noble Lords...

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendment 2. These two amendments provide that a relevant order may be made after the commencement of the Act and that the Secretary of State must, within three years, publish criteria that will apply for a replacement order to be made. Noble Lords...

May I ask the noble and learned Baroness what what she is saying has to do with the amendments we are debating?

May I ask the noble and learned Baroness what what she is saying has to do with the amendments we are debating?

I scarcely know where to begin. I listened with absolute fascination to the delightfully inaccurate, inappropriate and, in places, offensive comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Howarth of Newport. I am not a politician. I am a pleb of Devon. I am proud to be so and I am...

I scarcely know where to begin. I listened with absolute fascination to the delightfully inaccurate, inappropriate and, in places, offensive comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Howarth of Newport. I am not a politician. I am a pleb of Devon. I am proud to be so and I am...

I hope your Lordships will appreciate that I would not have dreamt of standing up on this amendment if we had not had this tour de force of recrimination about the failure to get these two orders through because the judge found against them. I thought that we were talking...

I hope your Lordships will appreciate that I would not have dreamt of standing up on this amendment if we had not had this tour de force of recrimination about the failure to get these two orders through because the judge found against them. I thought that we were talking...