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Health Bill

That was a very helpful reply, for which I thank the Minister. I am sure he will realise that a good deal of my purpose in tabling the amendments was to have a debate and to elicit the kind of answer that we have just heard. I accept that technical issues such as the definition of ““enclosed”” and ““substantially enclosed”” are more appropriately dealt with in regulations. I had anticipated the Minister’s comment on the need to retain flexibility in the future. I do not seek to argue with that principle. However, he seemed to brush aside the trade’s concerns rather lightly. I have been lobbied quite heavily by the British Beer and Pub Association and the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers about, as they see it, the lack of time to prepare for the new regulations. I had, and still have, a great deal of sympathy with them. Perhaps the Scottish experience is a pointer to what may occur south of the Border, but trading conditions in Scotland are somewhat different from those in the south of England, for example. I simply do not think that we can predict with complete confidence the effect of the regulations in the south when they come into force. I am, however, encouraged to hear that the Government are in active discussion with representatives of the trade. I welcome that, but I hope that the draft regulations will be available for all to see before too long. While it is helpful for the trade to know what the Government’s broad intentions are, there is nothing like seeing a set of draft regulations in black and white. That is probably as far as we can go on this issue today. I will consider what, if anything, we need to do at Report.