In last week's Viewpoint, Nick Raynsford ruffled feathers at the DCLG by suggesting that the Localism Bill was behind schedule, due to behind-the-scenes rows. Here John Howell, parliamentary private secretary to decentralisation minister, Greg Clark, and author of the Conservative planning paper, defends the Bill against claims it is anti-growth

It is little wonder that Nick Raynsford can only resort to mischief-making about the Localism Bill (The MJ, 7 April).