My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Graham for all the work he has done on behalf of freemen. I correct him in that I am an honorary freeman of England and Wales. In fact, I was proposed by the freemen of York, not by the freemen of Newcastle-under-Lyme,...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Graham for all the work he has done on behalf of freemen. I correct him in that I am an honorary freeman of England and Wales. In fact, I was proposed by the freemen of York, not by the freemen of Newcastle-under-Lyme,...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for having taken care in dealing with this matter more fully than he might have done. I had made known to him the concerns that had been expressed to me outside the House. This could have been a joyous moment in my...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for having taken care in dealing with this matter more fully than he might have done. I had made known to him the concerns that had been expressed to me outside the House. This could have been a joyous moment in my...

My Lords, this amendment introduces a new clause relating to local freedoms. It was introduced in the other place by the honourable Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central to, as he put it, ""correct a significant inequality. It would also correct an anomaly that undermines freemen, where they remain, when...

My Lords, this amendment introduces a new clause relating to local freedoms. It was introduced in the other place by the honourable Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central to, as he put it, ""correct a significant inequality. It would also correct an anomaly that undermines freemen, where they remain, when...

That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 7.

That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 7.

My Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for supporting these provisions. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendment 7 Moved by

My Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for supporting these provisions. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendment 7 Moved by

That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 8.

That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment 8.

My Lords, I spoke to this amendment with Amendment 2. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendment 8 Moved by

My Lords, I spoke to this amendment with Amendment 2. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendment 8 Moved by

My Lords, this part of the Bill seems to attract a lot of comments, not necessarily consistent with one another. It seems to us that the Government have managed, at any rate, to satisfy one area of concern which was expressed to us during the earlier stages of the Bill,...

My Lords, this part of the Bill seems to attract a lot of comments, not necessarily consistent with one another. It seems to us that the Government have managed, at any rate, to satisfy one area of concern which was expressed to us during the earlier stages of the Bill,...

My Lords, this is the privilege amendment. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendments 9 and 10 Moved by

My Lords, this is the privilege amendment. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendments 9 and 10 Moved by

My Lords, I spoke to these amendments with earlier amendments. Motion agreed.

My Lords, I spoke to these amendments with earlier amendments. Motion agreed.

I thank the Minister for his courtesy in, as always, giving way. The more general point is that it was not an opinion poll as to whether authorities were in favour or against; the Government went out to consultation when detailed responses were given about Zurich. Can he explain how...

I thank the Minister for his courtesy in, as always, giving way. The more general point is that it was not an opinion poll as to whether authorities were in favour or against; the Government went out to consultation when detailed responses were given about Zurich. Can he explain how...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bates, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, for their contributions to our short debate. I start with the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Bates, about the consultation. We will of course be publishing its results. On his mention of Zurich,...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bates, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, for their contributions to our short debate. I start with the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Bates, about the consultation. We will of course be publishing its results. On his mention of Zurich,...

My Lords, my comments go back a stage earlier than the points that the noble Lord has just raised. These amendments, which were added to the Bill in response to the London Authorities Mutual Ltd case, seem to address a symptom, not the underlying disease. The analogy that occurred to...

My Lords, my comments go back a stage earlier than the points that the noble Lord has just raised. These amendments, which were added to the Bill in response to the London Authorities Mutual Ltd case, seem to address a symptom, not the underlying disease. The analogy that occurred to...

My Lords, I have a couple of brief points, although we are basically on the same page and we support this enabling measure. The Government are fond of consulting extensively, and we approve of that. However, the Minister said that there were 96 responses to the consultation. What consideration has...

My Lords, I have a couple of brief points, although we are basically on the same page and we support this enabling measure. The Government are fond of consulting extensively, and we approve of that. However, the Minister said that there were 96 responses to the consultation. What consideration has...

My Lords, as was said in the other place when this was debated, we strongly support this clause and the amendments which have been put forward. They are essential protection, particularly for the sub-contractors, who are often the people we read about in our newspapers day after day, going out...

My Lords, as was said in the other place when this was debated, we strongly support this clause and the amendments which have been put forward. They are essential protection, particularly for the sub-contractors, who are often the people we read about in our newspapers day after day, going out...

I shall speak also to Amendment 9. Amendment 4 addresses the Secretary of State’s power to disapply the operation of Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 from types of construction contract. While the Bill has been going through Parliament, we have been approached by a...

I shall speak also to Amendment 9. Amendment 4 addresses the Secretary of State’s power to disapply the operation of Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 from types of construction contract. While the Bill has been going through Parliament, we have been approached by a...

That this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments 4 to 6.

That this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments 4 to 6.

There is always a risk, particularly for local authorities that are trying to do innovative things. That is why we need to use the opportunity of the consultation fully to understand the types of arrangements and situations that local authorities are facing to make sure that they have the vires...

There is always a risk, particularly for local authorities that are trying to do innovative things. That is why we need to use the opportunity of the consultation fully to understand the types of arrangements and situations that local authorities are facing to make sure that they have the vires...

Let me say generally on consultation that it is the Government’s policy, as the noble Lord will be aware, to distil the results and publish them. We do not typically publish all the responses verbatim, but seek faithfully to represent the spread of views. Clearly the time between the conclusion...

Let me say generally on consultation that it is the Government’s policy, as the noble Lord will be aware, to distil the results and publish them. We do not typically publish all the responses verbatim, but seek faithfully to represent the spread of views. Clearly the time between the conclusion...