---

Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am not sure whether I will be popular or unpopular if I take this debate through 10.40 pm; or with whom I will be popular. I cannot guarantee to speak for as long as various other noble Lords, but I will try my best. I very much welcome the remarks made by the noble Baroness. As she will be aware, we tabled amendments that would effectively have deleted Part 4. We did so for two reasons: first, for the reason of the substance which has been very much dealt with by the noble Baroness; and, secondly, we were concerned by the procedure that had been followed regarding Part 4. It is not often that I get confused between substance and procedure, but in this case it is a particular pity that the noble Lord, Lord Neill of Bladen, is no longer in his place, because he rather admonished me on why he had not got involved in the pre-legislative scrutiny. It is important, and I have congratulated the Minister’s department over the years on the way in which it has developed pre-legislative scrutiny and consultation on quite important Bills. The problem with Part 4 is that, although there was extensive consultation and scrutiny regarding the Macrory proposals and the Bill, Part 4 was very much tacked on at the end without any appropriate consultation. It is very much to the credit of the noble Lord, Lord Borrie, that the Government have been—not forced, because I am sure that the noble Lord, Lord Borrie, does not force anyone to do anything—persuaded to table the amendments. I am grateful for that. If there is a lesson to be drawn from the Government’s point of view, I hope it will be that important provisions should not be tacked on at the end of a Bill when proper pre-legislative scrutiny has not taken place. If I go on for one more minute, I will certainly be the most popular man outside this Chamber. In the circumstances, I do not propose to move Amendments Nos. 101 and 105, which stand in my name.