---

Parliamentary Standards Bill

My Lords, I intervene only briefly. I draw attention to the reluctance that amounts virtually to a convention of either House to exercise the power to reject statutory instruments, even if they require the affirmative resolution procedure, except in wholly unusual and disastrous circumstances. It is not good enough to say, as the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, did, "Oh, well, all will be all right because, if there is trouble, all we need to do is reject the statutory instrument". I would have far more confidence in there being a review of the provisions of the Bill in two years’ time if there was a sunset clause for this Bill of the kind proposed by my noble friends.