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Bradford and Bingley plc Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Order 2009

I am sorry, but we have to probe this a little further. The procedure is that the Government decide to confer the powers on the valuer. It has to decide that on the basis that the Minister explained from his own speaking notes, which was that a reasonable request had been made. The valuer does not just come up to the Treasury and say, "I want to go to the court to get whatever information I want, so give me a broad power"; it must make a case. If the Minister is saying that they are handing out those powers willy-nilly, Parliament should be much more concerned about the way in which they are being used. We had assumed from the Minister’s remarks that the Government were satisfied that it was appropriate to give the valuer this power because of the circumstances of the case. The Minister is now saying that it is not appropriate for the Minister to know—but it is of course appropriate for the Minister to know. I request that the Minister reconsider that position.