What recent representations he has received on his Department's policy on common land in England.

My officials have regular meetings with stakeholders representing common land. Indeed, my hon. Friend and I share an interest in areas that we know well, including Fairwood common on the Gower and other areas in my constituency. The national common land stakeholder group will hold a meeting on 18 June, which more than 30 organisations have been invited to attend. We have also received a number of representations in response to our plans on the implementation of the Commons Act 2006.

In the 30 years that you, Mr. Speaker, and I have been in this House, I have learned that you are as passionate about Robbie Burns as I am about John Clare. John Clare was forced to work on the enclosures that took the English common land away from the English common people. Since 1870, half of the common land that was left at that time has been lost. What are we doing to preserve common land? Why cannot we do the same as the Scots and start to take our common land back and give it over to community use and to the common people?

My hon. Friend has been a ceaseless advocate of common land and of the work of John Clare. The Commons Act 2006 represented a big step forward and, by October 2012, we will have turned the clock back a little in my hon. Friend's constituency by enabling many of the commons that were refused registration under the Commons Registration Act 1965 to be given a fresh chance for registration. I know that he will take that opportunity to encourage his constituents to make representations in this regard. I share his lament, however, and I can do no more than say:

"O words are poor receipts for what time hath stole away,

The ancient pulpit trees and the play.

When for school oer Little Field with its brook and wooden brig,

Where I swaggered like a man though I was not half so big".

Those are the words of John Clare.

On behalf of the House, may I thank the Minister for his contribution to poetry week?

Encore!

Will the deputy Chief Whip just shut up? This is the luxury of a half-empty House.

An illustration of the good use of common land is to be found uniquely in Croydon, where, under 19th century legislation, the Corporation of London took over the ownership and management of common land. I hasten to emphasise that I have no complaint about that arrangement, but its defect is that accountability for the running of the land lies with the council, while the users have no recourse to the ballot box if a problem arises, as it has in the past. When the Minister looks into the effectiveness of the 2006 Act, will he take that fact into account and try to assess how that democratic defect can be addressed?

The hon. Gentleman raises a very good point, and I shall be more than happy to meet him to discuss this matter further and to see whether we can do anything. Perhaps we can share a cup of coffee in the Tea Room— [ Interruption. ] And a what?

And a poem!