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Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill

My Lords, I thank noble Lords from all parts of the House who have spoken in this debate and who have so effectively given their support to the Bill. Support has come from the Cross Benches, the Liberal Democrats, the Official Opposition and in the words that have just been spoken by my noble friend the Minister. The noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, said that the Treasury had form on hand-out Bills. However, I maintain that this Bill is the work not just of government; in many respects, it introduces provisions put forward in another place in a Private Member’s Bill—it was a Ten-Minute Rule Bill. It is a government and Private Member’s Bill combined, if such a thing were possible, because of the support given to it from both Front Benches and Back Benches. I thank the Minister and his officials for their helpfulness towards me and my colleagues in another place in dealing with some of the issues in the Bill. The noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, mentioned the need for well regulated markets and expressed concern about unintended consequences. I hope, however, that she will accept—as I think she did—that the sunset clause will enable us to re-examine those issues in due course. While I hope and believe that the legislation will prove its worth, there will none the less be an opportunity to examine it properly at that subsequent stage. For all those reasons, I hope that the Bill enjoys success today. Bill read a second time. Committee negatived. Standing Order 47 having been dispensed with, the Bill was read a third time and passed.