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Parliamentary Standards Bill

It has been a useful debate. I wanted to probe the Government’s thinking and they have told us what it is. As a result of this, there is obviously confusion as to which codes we are talking about and the Minister has agreed to send out another explanatory note. It is extraordinary that this Bill will be law in a week’s time and that, even in this House, where the Bill has been in the public domain for some weeks, there is still a great deal of confusion as to what it will mean. In another place, that confusion is even greater. I understand the Government’s explanation about denying another place the ability to seek to amend the code; it is an argument. I hope that we never have anything in this place that would be imposed by an outside body without this House being able to have a say. However, this Bill has gone through the House of Commons. It may come to regret this provision, but we shall see. It is not the most important point that we shall be dealing with, so I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 38 withdrawn.