Drew, David

That this House takes note of the Sustainable Communities Bill introduced into the House in the last session and supported by 363 hon. Members and now adopted as a Ballot Bill by the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood; welcomes the cross-party approach being adopted by him, especially his decision that his list of sponsors should reflect the balance of hon. Members in the House by including seven Labour hon. Members, four Conservative hon. Members and one Liberal Democrat hon. Member; notes that the Bill requires the Secretary of State, in conjunction with local authorities and local communities, to draw up and implement an action plan to promote local services and local economic activity and measures for protecting the environment, social justice and greater political involvement; notes that the Bill specifically enables councils and communities to influence Government policy and actions on these issues and on the spending of monies allocated for local issues; notes too that the mechanisms in the Bill are in accord with the idea of community empowerment espoused by many hon. Members and Ministers including the Prime Minister; and therefore calls on the Government to support the Bill so that it can become law in this session.