Member

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, for Amendments 21 and 24, which draw attention to the important points raised in the report of the Constitution Committee on the new statutory test for creating and amending strategic authorities. The Bill will introduce a new framework that will standardise powers and make devolution quicker to achieve and simpler to understand, particularly for local areas. As part of these measures, we have introduced a new streamlined statutory test that consolidates core parts of the previous legislation, links to the areas of competence and aligns with the rest of the framework. The old statutory tests were not only more complex and less flexible but did not adequately reflect the new areas of competence. They would make it harder, not easier, for local areas to achieve the benefits of devolution. That is why, in our view, they need to be changed. With that, I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, will withdraw his amendment.