REPORTS UNDER ROAD TRAFFIC REDUCTION ACT 1997 (Hansard, 27 March 1998)

§ Mr. Chope
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this, it will be convenient to discuss amendment No. 11, in clause 4, page 2, line 12, after 'Act', insert 'and which is made within six months of the coming into effect of this Act'.

§ Mr. Chope
The new clause links the Bill with the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997. The thinking behind it is to put pressure on the Minister to produce her report, under clause 2, more quickly than she has suggested hitherto. She has suggested that she will produce the first report around the year 2000. The Government said that they wanted national targets, but they are now saying that they will wait for information from local authorities before deciding to set any targets—if so, what targets? The Government have it round the wrong way. It is reasonable to expect the Government to set the national framework and then for the local authorities to follow on from that. I understood that that was the point that the Minister was seeking to make in answer to points raised by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) in the previous debate.
Amendment No. 11 arises from a commitment made by the Minister in Committee to extend the Bill by Order in Council to Northern Ireland within three to four months of its enactment. It would require that to be done by affirmative resolution if it were delayed beyond six months from enactment. That measure tries to put pressure on the Government.

§ Ms Glenda Jackson
I am delighted that I disappointed the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope). I take no particular pride in that because, of course, it is so easy for me so to do. To be dubbed graceless by Conservative Members I regard as no small compliment.
I oppose new clause 5 and amendment No. 11. It would not be sensible to delay the production of local authority reports. There seemed to be a somewhat ironic paradox in the argument of the hon. Member for Christchurch. He was critical of the time scale for publishing a national target, yet wished to delay local authority work. In drawing up their report, the Government will want to look closely at the targets set by local authorities and their likely effect on traffic levels. The reports will play a valuable part in devising and stating the national target. Therefore, any delay in their production would not be helpful.
866 I turn to amendment No. 11, which I oppose on legal advice. I understand that a time limit cannot be prescribed in the Bill, as it would be incompatible with the constitutional arrangements applying to Northern Ireland as regards the treatment of devolved matters. It is however usual for an Order in Council to be made within three to four months of enactment of a Bill in Westminster. I assure the House that the Government have no intention of delaying the process. I therefore ask the hon. Member for Christchurch to withdraw the motion.

§ Mr. Chope
There have been times during the Minister's remarks when I have wondered whether it is her purpose to try to ensure that the Bill is talked out by so provoking me. I am not going to fall for that old trick. I shall reserve my venom for the Minister for another occasion. I hope that she becomes the mayoral candidate for London so that we can campaign against her in Hampstead high street and tell people there exactly what she was saying a year ago and is now completely disregarding in her attitude to the Bill. The Bill was an embarrassment for her in Committee. If I were charitable, I would say that that might be the reason for the tone of some of her remarks.
I shall ask leave to withdraw the motion, to enable completion of Report today. I hope that, as a result, people who have suggested at various stages in the proceedings that it was my objective to frustrate and destroy the Bill will withdraw those allegations. As we know, actions speak louder than words. That is why we are so critical of the Minister's behaviour—having behaved in one way on Hampstead high street and not being able in Committee to explain her actions that day. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Motion and clause, by leave, withdrawn.