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Pensions Bill

I had not intended to interrupt proceedings, but it is hardly surprising that Clause 20 has taken something like two and a half hours to debate. My noble friend, aided—I can almost say abetted—by my noble friend Lord Blackwell and the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, has asked a series of pertinent questions about the Government’s attitude to the advice that they are going to give to the delivery authority. My noble friend mentioned that she is worried that: "““The Authority may do anything it thinks appropriate for preparing for the implementation of, or for advising on the modification of, any relevant proposals about personal accounts””." From Clause 20(2), we learn exactly what relevant proposals and personal accounts are. This is entirely in the hands of the Secretary of State. I noticed that on Amendment No. 116, the Minister said that it was much more sensible to leave the debate to the next Bill. On Amendment No. 119, the noble Baroness told us that the Government will set the framework for the authority. Before the next stage of the Bill, we need an answer on whether Parliament will have the slightest idea what instructions and requests the Government will make for the new authority before it legally adopts them. That is the key to all discussion on Clause 20, and that will be the case on Report.