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Financial Services Bill

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that response. He said that the Council for Financial Stability would not get involved in any such decisions and that Amendment 25 was therefore not necessary. We have pretty well established that the Council for Financial Stability does not have any real meaning, so perhaps Amendment 25 is not relevant. However, I am less clear about Amendment 28. We know that the Government did not inform Parliament about the HBOS and RBS arrangements until the Governor of the Bank of England had informed Parliament. That clearly did not work, and the fact that the Permanent Secretary at the Treasury is acutely aware of parliamentary accountability seems not to have achieved a result that many would have found satisfactory. I am not sure whether we can leave it to Ministers of the day, as advised by their Permanent Secretaries. I shall withdraw Amendment 25, but I give notice that, in a minute or so, I shall press Amendment 28 formally. Amendment 25 withdrawn. Clause 3, as amended, agreed. Clause 4 : Definitions Clause 4 : Definitions Amendment 26 not moved. Clause 4 agreed. Amendment 27 not moved. Amendment 28 Moved by