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Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

We have had a full debate on Clause 7; in many ways it deserves a full debate. The approach taken by some noble Lords who have spoken suggests that Clause 7 will be implemented and used on a regular, day-to-day basis and that local authorities will be directed and told what to do, or else, almost from the very start. I attempted to describe the Government’s view on this when dealing with the previous amendment moved by the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, but I need to try again in order to persuade the Committee that these are not savage powers that will be used by a ruthless organisation which is the creature of government; it is a sensible provision which is supported by business, by the National Consumer Council and by the Trading Standards Institute. I disagree with the noble Lord, Lord Cope. He said that because this is a national body, it is not bothered at all, effectively, about local government independence. I do not accept that. The people who will make up that body will have been working in trading standards for many years. The noble Baroness, Lady Wilcox, I believe, is a distinguished ex-president of that body and an even more distinguished vice-president of it now.