Member

I turn first to Amendments 211 and 212, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Pack. These seek to remove the Secretary of State’s order-making power to change the year of a council’s elections, replacing that power with the requirement that such changes should be made only through primary legislation. Although I appreciate the intention behind these amendments, it is the Government’s view that they are unnecessary. Any orders to postpone council elections are already subject to parliamentary scrutiny and either House may require a debate on an order—as we know, because we will debate ours on 23 February. It remains open to your Lordships under existing parliamentary procedures to both debate and vote on the order, as we did last year.