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Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (Commencement No. 3 and Supplementary Provision) Order 2008

My Lords, this is a hangover from the exciting debate which ran over the dinner hour last week, so we are all ready for this one. I was chairman of the National Consumer Council and, naturally, I feel very nervous about this new body. I hope that it will be successful. If we have anything to say on the points that the Minister has just made, it would be that the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act gives the Secretary of State the power to require the new National Consumer Council to produce reports on any consumer matter. However, there is no duty for the NCC or the Secretary of State to publish such reports. That calls into question the true independence of the new body. However, I have no wish to stand in the way of the order.