Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill (Hansard, 5 June 2003)

§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker):

The Leader of the House of Commons announced today at Business Questions our intention to recommit the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill to Standing Committee.

We have taken this decision to enable us to bring forward provisions which will end the Crown's immunity from planning control, subject to certain safeguards. Given the substantive nature of the proposed amendments, I think it is important that the House of Commons is given the opportunity to debate these new provisions fully before the Bill resumes its remaining stages.

We will also be seeking to introduce further provisions which will help to implement the sustainable communities agenda.

Clearly this will mean that the Bill will not be able to complete its remaining stages in this Session. Motions have therefore also been tabled today to allow the Bill to be carried over into the next parliamentary session. We will be seeking to ensure that the Bill reaches the statute book as soon as possible in the next Session to lessen the impact of this slight delay.

We propose that the provisions relating to Crown development extend beyond England and Wales, which would involve the Scottish Executive pursuing a Sewel Motion in the Scottish Parliament. We are, of course, discussing this with the Scottish Executive, which has been kept informed of our proposals.

The intention to carry over the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill into the next Session does not signify any lessening in our commitment to reforming the planning system.

Copies of a short progress report covering the large number of workstreams being taken forward as part of this commitment are available in the Libraries of the House. The note will also be available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website www.odpm.gov.uk.