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Banking Bill

On the previous amendment, the Minister referred to the code of practice of the Cabinet Office in relation to statutory instruments. I do not see why we should be bound by that when it is important that it should be obligatory for the Government to carry out widespread consultation in regard to these matters. In any case, we are not considering the code as a statutory instrument. My noble friend’s amendment makes it a statutory instrument. Clause 6 makes no provision for Parliament to have a role in or to comment on the code of practice. It will be laid before Parliament but—the Minister will correct me if I am wrong—there is no provision for Parliament to debate it. Still less is there provision for it to be compulsory for Parliament to have a chance to debate it. That being so, there is a great deal to be said for the amendment.