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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

My Lords, a long and winding road takes us back to Second Reading on 11 January. I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal thanks to the two Ministers, the noble Lords, Lord Sainsbury and Lord McKenzie, and, in his absence, to the noble and learned Lord the Attorney-General, for their good humour, only occasionally strained during the past few months. I thank also the noble Lords, Lord Sharman and Lord Razzall, for their help on the Bill and, of course, my noble friends Lady Noakes and Lord Freeman for their assistance on these Benches. I thank the Bill team, which has been most helpful in enabling us to get to the bottom of what is required. I express my thanks also to those who have advised, briefed and, occasionally, criticised us. That is as it should be in a vibrant democracy. It is a long list of people and I cannot therefore name them all, but we are grateful to them for their help. I thank also the Government for being, in large measure, open and receptive to reasoned arguments. As a result, we have been able to refine and sharpen the Bill so that it better serves its purpose of helping UK plc, because, whatever our political colour, the success of UK plc is essential to this country’s future. I began to doubt that I would ever see a day when a Marshalled List of amendments for the Company Law Reform Bill contained fewer than 100, but today we almost got there. Today’s list contained 102 or 103 amendments. As we wave this gargantuan Bill on its way, I echo the prayer of the Minister at an earlier date: that either we may have been sacked or some other act of God may have intervened before we see its like again.