I commiserate with the Minister for having to repeat this embarrassing Statement. Does he realise that it essentially shows that the Government have become the pawns of the big gambling industry? He has said, with the full authority of the state behind him, that the Government are not prepared to...

I commiserate with the Minister for having to repeat this embarrassing Statement. Does he realise that it essentially shows that the Government have become the pawns of the big gambling industry? He has said, with the full authority of the state behind him, that the Government are not prepared to...

My Lords, if the Minister will forgive me—

My Lords, if the Minister will forgive me—

Before the Minister sits down, he said that he would come to my points later but he did not—although I accept that his speech was carefully woven and made a coherent case for the regulations. However, for the purposes of the Grand Committee, by far the most important issues in...

Before the Minister sits down, he said that he would come to my points later but he did not—although I accept that his speech was carefully woven and made a coherent case for the regulations. However, for the purposes of the Grand Committee, by far the most important issues in...

I am very grateful to the Minister, but will he confirm that many members of the stakeholder group disagreed with the line that the Government are taking, which is not to have a continued consultation role with the European Commission? That is an important issue which is not properly brought...

I am very grateful to the Minister, but will he confirm that many members of the stakeholder group disagreed with the line that the Government are taking, which is not to have a continued consultation role with the European Commission? That is an important issue which is not properly brought...

Does the Minister agree—

Does the Minister agree—

I am still on my feet.

I am still on my feet.

If the noble Baroness will forgive me, I am still on my feet, so I will not give way to her. Will the Minister agree to publish—

If the noble Baroness will forgive me, I am still on my feet, so I will not give way to her. Will the Minister agree to publish—

The noble Baroness cannot make an observation unless I give way to her and I am not giving way to her, if she will forgive me.

Will the Minister agree to publish the minutes of the stakeholder group that he has referred to? It seems to me important in our proceedings...

The noble Baroness cannot make an observation unless I give way to her and I am not giving way to her, if she will forgive me.

Will the Minister agree to publish the minutes of the stakeholder group that he has referred to? It seems to me important in our proceedings...

The noble Lord has just raised an extremely important point about consultation. As he knows, in the discussions which the Grand Committee

has been having on these no-deal regulations, the issue of inadequate consultation has been a running theme. As we probe beneath the regulations, significant issues of substance come...

The noble Lord has just raised an extremely important point about consultation. As he knows, in the discussions which the Grand Committee

has been having on these no-deal regulations, the issue of inadequate consultation has been a running theme. As we probe beneath the regulations, significant issues of substance come...

My Lords, the noble Lord is making a very powerful argument about the weakness of consultation and the problems that will be caused by these regulations. Is he suggesting that Ofcom itself said to him that it was not content with these regulations in their current form and that it...

My Lords, the noble Lord is making a very powerful argument about the weakness of consultation and the problems that will be caused by these regulations. Is he suggesting that Ofcom itself said to him that it was not content with these regulations in their current form and that it...

The noble Lord has referred to the data adequacy agreement, which is clearly an important issue. What is his understanding of what the impact

would be on the United Kingdom if we did not secure such an agreement in the event of a no-deal Brexit? Presumably it will be quite...

The noble Lord has referred to the data adequacy agreement, which is clearly an important issue. What is his understanding of what the impact

would be on the United Kingdom if we did not secure such an agreement in the event of a no-deal Brexit? Presumably it will be quite...

Does the Minister want to respond to the noble Lord, Lord Foster, before I and my noble friend speak?

Does the Minister want to respond to the noble Lord, Lord Foster, before I and my noble friend speak?

Provided it is clear that we can speak after the Minister.

4.30 pm

Provided it is clear that we can speak after the Minister.

4.30 pm

I am delighted to hear it.

I am delighted to hear it.

I am grateful to the Minister, but does he not accept that this could be argued both ways? It is clear from reading the materials available to me that one could say that replicating the status quo means having some consultation and appeal role for a competition body above Ofcom,...

I am grateful to the Minister, but does he not accept that this could be argued both ways? It is clear from reading the materials available to me that one could say that replicating the status quo means having some consultation and appeal role for a competition body above Ofcom,...

My Lords, the Minister has done a conscientious job of explaining the regulations and dealing with the concerns raised by the noble Lord, Lord Foster. However, I did not greatly care for the intervention at the beginning by the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, which sought to prevent me from posing...

My Lords, the Minister has done a conscientious job of explaining the regulations and dealing with the concerns raised by the noble Lord, Lord Foster. However, I did not greatly care for the intervention at the beginning by the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, which sought to prevent me from posing...

I am grateful to the Minister for that intervention, but I note that the issues raised in paragraphs 10.2 and 10.3 of the Explanatory Memorandum indicate that significant players in the industry do not accept the statements that he has just made. They do not accept that this is the...

I am grateful to the Minister for that intervention, but I note that the issues raised in paragraphs 10.2 and 10.3 of the Explanatory Memorandum indicate that significant players in the industry do not accept the statements that he has just made. They do not accept that this is the...

My Lords, the problem with this situation is that we do not know what happened in the consultation, because nothing has been published. Let me read out what paragraph 10.1 says, so that it goes on the record. Under the heading “Consultation outcome”, it says:

“Informal consultation has been undertaken with...

My Lords, the problem with this situation is that we do not know what happened in the consultation, because nothing has been published. Let me read out what paragraph 10.1 says, so that it goes on the record. Under the heading “Consultation outcome”, it says:

“Informal consultation has been undertaken with...

I do not for a moment expect that Ofcom should be required to agree. On the contrary, it is the job of the Government and Parliament to decide what the law and the regulations will be. However, it is our responsibility as parliamentarians to be fully informed about what the...

I do not for a moment expect that Ofcom should be required to agree. On the contrary, it is the job of the Government and Parliament to decide what the law and the regulations will be. However, it is our responsibility as parliamentarians to be fully informed about what the...

I am very grateful for the noble Baroness’s explanation but I do not believe that I was in any way infringing the courtesies of the House in seeking to question the Minister. The job of a Grand Committee is to elicit from Ministers information which is relevant to our consideration...

I am very grateful for the noble Baroness’s explanation but I do not believe that I was in any way infringing the courtesies of the House in seeking to question the Minister. The job of a Grand Committee is to elicit from Ministers information which is relevant to our consideration...