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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

My Lords, I assume that the Minister will respond formally later. However, he has saved me having to make a long speech, or indeed much of a speech at all. I thank him for responding to Amendments 36 and 40 essentially in the same terms. He said that rather keep it in the Bill, it should be in the code. One needs to consider the impact of that. It will not be quite as powerful, particularly in terms of Amendment 40, which gives internet service providers a reasonable time, because there are two ways in which these codes can be made. They are either made by consent or imposed by Ofcom. Perhaps the Minister is saying that if Amendment 40 is not included in the code by agreement between the parties, it will be imposed by Ofcom. That is the only way in which something that the Minister assures us will be in the code, but which is not specified in the Bill, is in the code. In a sense, one is taking it somewhat on trust. However, at this stage of the proceedings, and given the Minister’s assurances, I shall take the matter away and consider his response to Amendments 36 and 40.