Member

Amendment 97, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Best, seeks to ensure that strategic planning authorities reflect the needs of older people. As I have set out, I agree with the noble Lord that the housing needs of older people should be considered when preparing spatial development strategies, but I do not see a need for the Bill to be amended to achieve that outcome. The Bill already requires strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure that their spatial development strategy is consistent with current national policy, which contains clear expectations on assessing and reflecting the housing needs of older and disabled people.