Planning Bill faces key debates in Lords

Peers will make a second attempt to amend the Government's Planning Bill so that decisions on major infrastructure projects like airports and power stations would explicitly have to take into account their climate change implications when the legislation is debated in the Lords when Parliament returns.

The Bill, with its proposals for an Infrastructure Planning Commission, is down for two days of debate and its third reading between 6 and 8 October.

When the measures were discussed in the Commons there was a mini-rebellion of 24 backbench Labour MPs who voted with the opposition in favour of the climate change amendment. The amendment was defeated that time.

Meanwhile, the Government has confirmed that it will move ahead with recruitment of the chairman and chief executive of the IPC.

Local government minister John Healey said: "The IPC will act as the decision maker for the majority of major infrastructure consents, acting within a national policy framework set by Government.

"Early appointments will give infrastructure developers the confidence to work on applications for development consent under a new regime with the knowledge that the IPC will be operational and able to provide advice by the time the first National Policy Statements are designated, expected towards the end of 2009."

In a separate but related development Eric Pickles, shadow conservative local government minister reiterated his party’s intention to scrap the IPC if it wins the next election. It is on a list of 'quangos' the Opposition wants to axe. Pickles made that clear when he answered questions at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

A Communities and Local Goverment spokesperson said: "The new system will save nearly £5bn for tax payers, consumers and business by 2030. So in the long term the economy will benefit way beyond the start-up cost of the IPC."

Roger Milne

2 October 2008