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Constitutional Reform (Prerogative Powers and Civil Service etc.) Bill [HL]

I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Lester, on bringing the Bill before your Lordships’ House. That is not to say that the Government are inclined to agree with all that is contained therein, but we certainly recognise the importance of the debate and the validity of its subject matter. We also recognise the fact that this is part of a wider public debate—a debate in which many Members of your Lordships’ House and beyond have actively engaged. The amendment, as we all understand it, would be to increase the period before all prerogative powers must be superseded by the Bill’s proposals for executive powers under a statutory regime. As I made clear at Second Reading, the Government do not support the Bill; we do not consider that there is any advantage in replacing the prerogative with a statutory regime. The Government are, after all, accountable to Parliament for all their actions, whether those actions are exercised under the royal prerogative or under statutory authority. That said, in relation to the terms of the Bill, it seems sensible to us to have as long a lead-in time as possible before the new regime of executive powers comes into force. Although we disagree about the need for the Bill, we certainly understand the thinking behind the amendment. There is a strange consensus on this issue.