---

Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, we on these Benches are very glad to see these amendments, even if they were tabled rather late. As noble Lords know, Cabinet Office guidelines say that government amendments should be tabled a week before they are to be debated. I dare say that the Christmas holidays interfered as much with the Government’s timing in tabling amendments as they did with the timing of everyone else involved with the Bill. The Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee’s advice is, as is so often the case, well worth listening to. It is good to see that the Minister has followed best practice in seeking to ensure that the powers of the Executive get the proper level of scrutiny from Parliament.