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Companies Bill [Lords]

The right hon. Gentleman deserves credit for trying to think clearly. Shortly, he will have to work out whether he should support his party’s amendments, and I suspect that that will add to his confusion rather than diminish it. New clause 4 takes the principles set out in clause 173 and tries to make them clearer and more specific. The hon. Member for Cambridge drew attention to that part of the new clause that deals with the impact on the environment, but I believe that it has precisely the opposite effect from the one that he set out. The new clause is much clearer about how directors should set out to protect the environment and is much to be preferred. Clause 173 makes a rather loose and general reference to the"““impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment””." The form of words proposed by my hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Patrick Hall) is more specific and provides better guidance. Moreover, his criticism of the Conservative amendments was absolutely correct. I hope that the House will recognise that my right hon. Friend the Minister has taken on a difficult and complex matter, in circumstances that the House will agree were less than desirable from her point of view. She has made an excellent job of it. New clause 4 improves on that, and assists her in the work that she has attempted. I hope that the House will support it.