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Pensions Bill

I am extremely grateful to all noble Lords who have taken part in this short debate. I say to the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, that not I, he or the Minister are even micro-members these days of the usual channels. As I said in my opening speech, we are where we are and we have to make the best of it—and I am sure we will. I am sorry that what I said has given rise to something that I tried desperately hard to avoid; namely, a Second Reading speech. I agree that the Minister was tempted by my noble friend Lord Lyell, who of course reminded us of why we are here and what last year’s pensions Act and this Bill, taken together, are for. I am well aware that the danger inherent in purpose clauses, especially at the beginning of our proceedings, is that not all the amendments may be incorporated in a Bill; indeed, it is just possible that not all the clauses currently in the Bill will, as the Minister would like to have us believe, be incorporated. When we send it back to another place, they will all be encapsulated in it. I ask the Minister and the rest of the Committee to look at the amendment again. I defy any noble Lord to say that the phrase ““new or””—not ““and””— "““better ways of providing such””," does not cover any possible eventuality. It certainly covers personal accounts—that was a complaint of the Minister’s. The words in the amendment were not chosen at random; they are to be found in Section 1 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. If they were good enough for Treasury counsel then, they are certainly good enough for me now, and I hope the Committee will think so too. I wish to test the opinion of the Committee. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 1) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 133; Not-Contents, 147. Clause 1 [Jobholders]: