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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, I must admit that I am sceptical about the Minister’s case for this amendment. He said that it was necessary, but this has been framed in a very broad way indeed. Having taken part in the Second Reading of the new Video Recording Bill today, we all have a healthy regard for the powers of the European Commission in respect of technical measures and so on, and of course this will qualify under them. But that is not how the amendment has been framed. Some believe that we are being marched up to the top of the hill—whether the noble Lord, Lord Mandelson, is the Grand Old Duke of York, I do not know—and it looks like we are being marched down again. We feel that there is some impetus and real steam behind the timetable, but in a sense that particular balloon is now being deflated. I think that the Minister really has to do better than that in framing this amendment. It looks like we will be working at the speed of the slowest in the convoy. This is an invitation, quite frankly, to all the recalcitrant stakeholders, whoever they may be, to go more slowly, knowing that if it looks as though they are not going to hit the deadline the Secretary of State has the power to delay matters. The Minister will be aware that there is great unhappiness, particularly among the copyright community, BPI and others, about the implications of this extension. Everyone would be a lot happier if this was a specific exception and it was clear that there was going to be a problem with the European Commission. However, there is no reason to frame this amendment in such wide terms.