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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support these amendments and the comments made by the noble Baroness. As she rightly indicated, this is an issue that she and my noble friend Lord Sharman have pursued all the way through our deliberations. We are still at it at Third Reading. However, this is an appropriate Third Reading amendment. Some of the discussions we have had today have been inevitable because amendments have necessarily been tabled late because of events. However, this amendment raises a fundamental principle. The noble Baroness explained why, with the increased obligations and responsibilities being taken on by audit committees, it is important that those committees are given the necessary tools to enable them to fulfil their functions. However, the real Third Reading point is simple. We in the Opposition have a sense that whenever it is suggested that freedom of information should be applied, the Government—or, I suspect, not so much the Government as those who advise them—immediately throw their hands up in horror at the concept that the public or, in this case, company directors who need access to this information should be provided with it. That is an issue of principle that this House ought to take on board. If the noble Baroness is minded to divide the House, I have no doubt that the Liberal Democrats will be behind her, if not in front of her.