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Draft Financial Services Bill (Joint Committee)

I beg to move, amendment (a), in line 14, leave out 'Mr David Laws'. [Hon. Members: ““Shame!””] I hear cries of ““shame”” from the Chancellor's former chief of staff, from the Liberal Democrat Whip and from many other members of the coalition Government. I took some advice this afternoon about the rules of this procedure because I wanted to be very clear about what I may or may not refer to. I have received clear advice that I may refer to the content of the recent report of the Standards and Privileges Committee and that I may make some general observations, but you will probably agree with me, Mr Deputy Speaker, that I would not be allowed to make accusations about an hon. Member that are not referred to in the report, and I will proceed on that basis. The Bill is one of the most important Bills that the Government are introducing. I do not say that just because I have had a chance to glance through the weighty tome that the Government have introduced but because one of the great debates that the House will have in this Session is about how we can better regulate our financial industry. Without doubt there was a failure to regulate it in the previous Parliament—[Hon. Members: ““Hear, hear!””] I am sure that the hon. Member for Devizes (Claire Perry) will nod away to that.