Mr. Robin Mandal:

The question about what the Bill can do about it is important. We have been quite critical of the Bill, which consider to be part of the job, but there are elements in it that are very good. In our opening statement, we say we withhold or delay our welcome to the top-down policy agenda until we see the corresponding bottom-up agenda integrated. The top-down agenda is good in the Bill given the place of the regional assemblies, the regional spatial and economic strategies, RSES, and the national policy generally. My issue with national policy is that it is generally very good but it is interpreted in a fashion that completely undermines it. I will not cite any instances as it will take me too long. There are bits in this Bill that are good. Regarding the issue of ten-year development plans, part of us says that we absolutely want longer-term planning. In Oslo, they plan 20 years ahead. Yes, let us do that. Our concern is that the review process in the middle has no place for the members or for the voice of the citizen; it is all through the executive. That could be tweaked. There are elements in this Bill that are promising. The biggest criticism I have of the Bill is one that can be looked at - it is not a question of tearing the Bill up - is these unvalidated changes that seem to be addressing issues that do not exist.