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Finance (No. 2) Bill

I am not sure that I agree; I suspect that the Chancellor intended that very good consequence. Here is another burden:"““The Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 1999 (European Works Councils)." They get a thumbs up from Labour, but not from the Conservatives. I am not sure about the Liberal Democrats. They might like to intervene to tell me, or they can write to me afterwards—answers on a postcard—[Interruption.] They have run out of ideas. Next on the list is the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2000. I suspect that it is probably a good thing to get people to repay their debts, although the Liberal Democrats may have a different view. I would hope that the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 would receive a thumbs-up from both sides of the House, although the Stakeholder Pension Schemes Regulations 2000 might be more controversial. I am not sure whether that would get a thumbs-up from the Opposition. No. 12 on the list are the Wireless Telegraphy (License Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2000. If that is the measure whereby the Chancellor raised £23 billion through an auction, it was jolly good for our finances. Indeed, I think that my right hon. Friend is thinking of doing the same thing again, on a lesser scale. I hope that it raises half as much money. Next comes the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill, parts 1 and 3. I do not think that is unnecessary regulation; nor are the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2000. The next one is topical:"““The Vehicle Excise Duty (Reduced Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations 2000, pursuant to the EU pollution directive 98/69/EC." That is not a burden, nor are the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations or the police powers to close disorderly licensed premises under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 or the Biocidal Products Regulations 2001. I am not a scientist, as I said earlier, but I suspect that those regulations are probably a good thing. As someone who eats eggs and fish but not meat, I cannot comment on the Processed Animal Proteins (England) Regulations 2001.