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Digital Economy Bill [HL]

The noble Lord has not seen my e-mail in which I argued that I thought the issues were just within the bounds for various reasons. However, we should not be debating that now, for the very reasons that the noble Lord has just given. That issue might be worth taking up because they were different in emphasis. My Amendment 6, which has been refused, was not the same as the others, which offered enforceable protections to the consumer. Amendment 6 sought purely to produce a report and impact assessment for the same class of people through Ofcom. It did not have the same force as the previous amendments that we had tabled. Perhaps that is not allowable; perhaps it is. It is the sort of debate that this House should have. The matter should not be decided by just a small cabal of Front-Benchers. The real trouble with the Bill is that it is highly unusual. We should not pass legislation in this way. The Bill is entirely a product of your Lordships’ House. It will go to another place and will receive a Second Reading. One is told that no amendments will be permitted to it. Many Members of the other place are extremely annoyed about that and are very upset that the Bill cannot be amended at all. The form in which the Bill leaves this place is that in which it will pass into law. Therefore, our rules at Third Reading should be much less rigid considering that this is the last time that amendments can be put down. It is a very dangerous way in which to pass legislation; in fact, it is unethical. As I have said before, if we were directors of a company we would probably be locked up for failing to undertake proper governance. Parliament should not behave in this way. As I say, noble Lords may be interested to hear that "Panorama" at 8.30 pm tonight on BBC1 will be devoted entirely to this Bill. It will be interested to see what balance is struck in the arguments. I have no idea what is in the programme—