I think that I am grateful for that. It certainly means that I can throw away one of the books that I had planned to take on holiday and look at this instead. I am grateful to the Minister for her long explanation. It was very helpful to have the...

I think that I am grateful for that. It certainly means that I can throw away one of the books that I had planned to take on holiday and look at this instead. I am grateful to the Minister for her long explanation. It was very helpful to have the...

Is the Minister going to tell us what the answer was?

Is the Minister going to tell us what the answer was?

Okay. I am not sure that I ever rest assured about anything until I see it in black and white, but I am grateful for that. It would be very helpful if half a dozen sample authorities of different sorts could be provided as evidence and we could know whether...

Okay. I am not sure that I ever rest assured about anything until I see it in black and white, but I am grateful for that. It would be very helpful if half a dozen sample authorities of different sorts could be provided as evidence and we could know whether...

The Questions whether Clauses 213 and 214 should stand part of the Bill are in this group. I want to probe more widely than my noble friend Lady Hamwee about why we have this part of the Bill, what it means and one or two of aspects of that. This...

The Questions whether Clauses 213 and 214 should stand part of the Bill are in this group. I want to probe more widely than my noble friend Lady Hamwee about why we have this part of the Bill, what it means and one or two of aspects of that. This...

I thought that the Minister was going to invite me to withdraw the amendment, but she invites me to live with this. I have absolutely no choice but to live with it as a local authority councillor. This will be very interesting, because it will develop differently in different places....

I thought that the Minister was going to invite me to withdraw the amendment, but she invites me to live with this. I have absolutely no choice but to live with it as a local authority councillor. This will be very interesting, because it will develop differently in different places....

moved Amendment No. 235AB: 235AB: Before Clause 184, insert the following new Clause— ““Conduct of local government members and employees Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22) (conduct of local government members and employees) is repealed.”” The noble Lord said: The amendment, which is put forward in...

moved Amendment No. 235AB: 235AB: Before Clause 184, insert the following new Clause— ““Conduct of local government members and employees Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22) (conduct of local government members and employees) is repealed.”” The noble Lord said: The amendment, which is put forward in...

We are back to what was underlying some of the discussion earlier: the arbitrary nature of some of these decisions. I am not talking about serious criminal behaviour here. Some events that take place, because someone picks them up, takes great personal offence at them and determines to pursue them,...

We are back to what was underlying some of the discussion earlier: the arbitrary nature of some of these decisions. I am not talking about serious criminal behaviour here. Some events that take place, because someone picks them up, takes great personal offence at them and determines to pursue them,...

I support the noble Lord and my noble friend. However, the idea of a band of dedicated officers working for the opposition groups—

I support the noble Lord and my noble friend. However, the idea of a band of dedicated officers working for the opposition groups—

I understand that. I also understand that the opposition sometimes comes from the back benches of the controlling group, as we saw earlier today in the House. It happens on councils, too, and quite rightly so, because if scrutiny is to work, it has to happen. However, the noble Lord’s...

I understand that. I also understand that the opposition sometimes comes from the back benches of the controlling group, as we saw earlier today in the House. It happens on councils, too, and quite rightly so, because if scrutiny is to work, it has to happen. However, the noble Lord’s...

Have I been asleep for five minutes? I beg the noble Baroness’s pardon. I will pick up that point later.

Have I been asleep for five minutes? I beg the noble Baroness’s pardon. I will pick up that point later.

Perhaps I may refer to one point made by my noble friend which I do not think the Minister picked up. It concerns the role of the local authority and its relationship with the council.

Perhaps I may refer to one point made by my noble friend which I do not think the Minister picked up. It concerns the role of the local authority and its relationship with the council.

My concern with this group of amendments is concentrated on the same issues as those raised by my noble friend. I do not want to say any more than she has said, other than to refer to new Section 57D(7), which is the power to suspend the standards committee’s functions....

My concern with this group of amendments is concentrated on the same issues as those raised by my noble friend. I do not want to say any more than she has said, other than to refer to new Section 57D(7), which is the power to suspend the standards committee’s functions....

had given notice of his intention to move Amendment No. 238ZAA: 238ZAA: Clause 185, page 125, line 33, leave out subsection (1) The noble Lord said: This is the one that the Minister and I thought was in the first group, but my noble friend said that it was in...

had given notice of his intention to move Amendment No. 238ZAA: 238ZAA: Clause 185, page 125, line 33, leave out subsection (1) The noble Lord said: This is the one that the Minister and I thought was in the first group, but my noble friend said that it was in...

I agree. I was not suggesting that there is a huge diversity in standards of probity but that there is great diversity in the culture of councils and the way in which they do things. Despite the attempts over the years to impose uniformity from above, that still exists. I...

I agree. I was not suggesting that there is a huge diversity in standards of probity but that there is great diversity in the culture of councils and the way in which they do things. Despite the attempts over the years to impose uniformity from above, that still exists. I...

This is a related point; perhaps the noble Baroness can write to us on this as well. If there is to be a system where big, important or problematic cases can be called in to a national level, surely that process should occur before the local process has been gone...

This is a related point; perhaps the noble Baroness can write to us on this as well. If there is to be a system where big, important or problematic cases can be called in to a national level, surely that process should occur before the local process has been gone...

That may be the process by which it happens, but that sifting process will determine whether it is a major issue, after which it would be sent to a national level and the local committee would not hear or deal with it, so it would be sent after the sifting...

That may be the process by which it happens, but that sifting process will determine whether it is a major issue, after which it would be sent to a national level and the local committee would not hear or deal with it, so it would be sent after the sifting...

Am I not right in thinking that it is an appeal by the complainant and not by the person complained against?

Am I not right in thinking that it is an appeal by the complainant and not by the person complained against?