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Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [Lords]

I will in a moment. I want to come on to the point that the hon. Member for Solihull made about stop notices. The amendment could have serious consequences resulting from the withdrawal of a stop notice served by a regulator. Such notices would be imposed only in strictly controlled circumstances, where there is a significant risk of serious harm to human health, the environment, the financial interest of consumers and so on. If there had been serious environmental damage, it would not be appropriate for a business to be able to opt for a prosecution instead, as the serious harm specified in the stop notice could then continue or even grow. That illustrates why the choice for which the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford is arguing could be damaging to the public interest and consumer interest.