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Postal Services Bill [HL]

This amendment is grouped with Amendments 60 and 62, which are all about retrospectivity. The amendments are clear enough; they seek to limit the retrospective nature of these powers to the date that the Government have indicated that they hope will become the basis for any transfer. Of course, the actual date has not been set in stone. We established that in earlier debates. The memorandum to the DPRRC also makes it clear that the Government envisage using retrospective power for a few different purposes, such as if future legislation requires some retrospective changes. I am sure that quite a good case could be made for having some retrospective powers in these clauses. However, this clause, because it is based on precedent legislation, could be extremely specific. Once again, a perfectly unexceptional power has been given the widest possible scope. Will the Minister not consider the value of putting a few more safeguards on these powers, or, at the very least, explain why they have such a wide effect. I beg to move.