Member

This is an important problem but the amendment is the wrong answer and I would support the Minister in having further discussions and not rushing to grab the nearest passing parliamentary draftsman who can write a better amendment than the one we have. We have to remember history in this issue to some extent. Until 1980, local authorities had to get parliamentary approval to make these sales, so it was a big concession to get to the point where a public consultation was granted, rather than the need for a parliamentary decision. Now we are talking about sweeping that away; I think it ought not to be swept away without further discussion. We have to make sure that the community’s ability to challenge the intention to repurpose land remains, and we must make sure that the signals are right for local authorities, which may be—would you believe?—short of funds and looking to dispose of recreational land.