---

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

My Lords, comments have been made about perception, and perception is important in this context. I wonder whether my noble and learned friend can help me. Reading on from Clause 4, there is the provision in Clause 5 that the Lord Chancellor in giving direction under Clause 4 would require the director, "““to authorise, or not to authorise””," certain things to happen. I do not know whether a direction ““not to authorise”” is usual. If it is then so be it, and it may be that the point which I am raising is quite irrelevant. However, it struck me as an interesting provision.