---

Police and Justice Bill

That might pass for consultation in the Government, but I do not think that it is meaningful consultation at all. The Government would simply inform the inspectorate of what they intended to do, and allow the inspectorate to publish its views. That is not the same as consultation, and it is certainly a major shift from the present situation, in which the request for an intervention comes from the inspectorate. That power is effectively being taken away from the inspectorate and accrued by the Secretary of State. It is not clear why the Government are seeking this power. Throughout the passage of the Bill, we have never been given an explanation of what the Government are seeking to direct. When will they want to intervene? It has been difficult for us to accept this open-ended power when we have no understanding of the circumstances in which it might be used. The Minister in the other place, Baroness Scotland, made an interesting concession, saying:"““Our experience of last resort is borne out by the first five years or so of these powers being available to the Home Secretary. He has not needed to use them””.—[Official Report, House of Lords, 9 October 2006; Vol. 685, c. 67.]" So why is there a need for more open-ended powers? I do not think that that case has been made.