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Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

moved Amendment No. 40: Page 20, line 40, leave out ““two”” and insert ““four”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, this is possibly the final amendment—so it will be welcome in that regard. It would ensure that any standing orders brought under this Bill will have enough time to be sufficiently considered before they are put into force. This Bill will come into force at the beginning of January, very soon after Parliament returns from the Christmas Recess. Any standing orders that the Government wish to implement immediately will have only one month of sitting parliamentary time to be debated and agreed. Clearly, that is not enough time for effective scrutiny. I understand that the Government do not intend to make any orders until March 2007, which would allow the Procedure Committee enough time to finish its work and for Parliament to consider the orders to be agreed on. However, if no orders are to be made until March, why will the Bill come into force so long before? Surely it would be more sensible for the Bill’s commencement date to be delayed until all the loose ends are tied up, which would also give us some much-needed reassurance that the Government intend to implement this legislation in a considered manner after it has been properly scrutinised. I beg to move.