My Hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution (Chloe Smith MP), has today made the following written statement:

Since 2010, the Government has been at the forefront of opening up data to allow Parliament, the public and the media to hold public bodies to account.

Despite the need...

My Hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution (Chloe Smith MP), has today made the following written statement:

Since 2010, the Government has been at the forefront of opening up data to allow Parliament, the public and the media to hold public bodies to account.

Despite the need...

Since 2010, the Government has been at the forefront of opening up data to allow Parliament, the public and the media to hold public bodies to account.

Despite the need to reprioritise resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, central government departments continue to publish core transparency data. Such online transparency...

Since 2010, the Government has been at the forefront of opening up data to allow Parliament, the public and the media to hold public bodies to account.

Despite the need to reprioritise resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, central government departments continue to publish core transparency data. Such online transparency...

I am grateful to the Minister for that explanation. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 296, as amended, agreed to. Clause 297 agreed to. Clause 298 [Representation of corporations at meetings]:

I am grateful to the Minister for that explanation. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 296, as amended, agreed to. Clause 297 agreed to. Clause 298 [Representation of corporations at meetings]:

My noble friend, with respect, may misunderstand. Deloitte & Touche has made its report, the outcome of which I sought to summarise. A copy of it is here. I will make sure that my noble friend gets a copy so that he can peruse its contents. Obviously, there will be the opportunity...

My noble friend, with respect, may misunderstand. Deloitte & Touche has made its report, the outcome of which I sought to summarise. A copy of it is here. I will make sure that my noble friend gets a copy so that he can peruse its contents. Obviously, there will be the opportunity...

Would the noble Lord say that that is typical of all companies, or only typical of the companies on the boards of which he sits?

Would the noble Lord say that that is typical of all companies, or only typical of the companies on the boards of which he sits?

Perhaps the best thing that I can do to help my noble friend is ensure that he receives a copy of the report by Deloitte & Touche, which the Government commissioned to look into those matters. He will be able to examine the evidence and form his own judgment. That is...

Perhaps the best thing that I can do to help my noble friend is ensure that he receives a copy of the report by Deloitte & Touche, which the Government commissioned to look into those matters. He will be able to examine the evidence and form his own judgment. That is...

Before the Minister replies to my noble friend Lord Lea’s highly relevant question, I must say that I am beguiled by what he had to say, but I do not know that he had the evidence to establish those facts. In my intervention I asked him to give further and better particulars of how many...

Before the Minister replies to my noble friend Lord Lea’s highly relevant question, I must say that I am beguiled by what he had to say, but I do not know that he had the evidence to establish those facts. In my intervention I asked him to give further and better particulars of how many...

I will try to do so in finishing this presentation, but if my noble friend thinks that at the end of the day it is not sufficient, I am happy to write to him. As I was saying, the remuneration committee has to disclose the name of any person who provided advice or...

I will try to do so in finishing this presentation, but if my noble friend thinks that at the end of the day it is not sufficient, I am happy to write to him. As I was saying, the remuneration committee has to disclose the name of any person who provided advice or...

My noble friend speaks of very high compliance. Will he give further and better particulars?

My noble friend speaks of very high compliance. Will he give further and better particulars?

I thank all noble Lords who have participated in the debate, which has been interesting, although it has been wider than some of the detail that we had been looking at previously. I particularly thank my noble friend Lord Lea. Again, he demonstrated the passion that he brings to issues of equality, fairness...

I thank all noble Lords who have participated in the debate, which has been interesting, although it has been wider than some of the detail that we had been looking at previously. I particularly thank my noble friend Lord Lea. Again, he demonstrated the passion that he brings to issues of equality, fairness...

I would not say that it is typical of all companies, because not all companies have remuneration committees. If you want to address that issue, there are solutions that could be quite easily done under the combined code. There is no reason why remuneration committees should have people who are in...

I would not say that it is typical of all companies, because not all companies have remuneration committees. If you want to address that issue, there are solutions that could be quite easily done under the combined code. There is no reason why remuneration committees should have people who are in...

Perhaps I may explain the situation again. The report is not one that, essentially, will be implemented. It reviewed what was happening because of what had gone on in 2003. It comments on the progress that has been made since. Rather than perhaps debate it in the abstract, it would be helpful...

Perhaps I may explain the situation again. The report is not one that, essentially, will be implemented. It reviewed what was happening because of what had gone on in 2003. It comments on the progress that has been made since. Rather than perhaps debate it in the abstract, it would be helpful...

I want to make it clear on the record that I did not say that the Government do not have a policy on directors’ remuneration. I tried to outline our approach. What I said was that it is not for government to set directors’ pay; that would be wholly inappropriate. I assure my noble friend...

I want to make it clear on the record that I did not say that the Government do not have a policy on directors’ remuneration. I tried to outline our approach. What I said was that it is not for government to set directors’ pay; that would be wholly inappropriate. I assure my noble friend...

The Government will rue the day when they say in public that they have no policy on directors year after year getting six times the pay of other people. That is not a sustainable position. As regards transparency, I am afraid that the noble Lord, Lord Sharman, has elided two different points....

The Government will rue the day when they say in public that they have no policy on directors year after year getting six times the pay of other people. That is not a sustainable position. As regards transparency, I am afraid that the noble Lord, Lord Sharman, has elided two different points....

The answer to that question is very simple. This is referring not to any previous Companies Act, but to the Companies Act which we are talking about. That is as I understand the situation. I will continue with the rest of the answer while someone corrects me if that is wrong. Clause 288 replaces...

The answer to that question is very simple. This is referring not to any previous Companies Act, but to the Companies Act which we are talking about. That is as I understand the situation. I will continue with the rest of the answer while someone corrects me if that is wrong. Clause 288 replaces...

I accept what the Minister said; in fact, he gave a far more thorough response to my inquiry than I expected. The confusion in our minds was because of the wording,"““by any provision of the Companies Acts””," as opposed to this Companies Act. It would have been clearer to the lay man—certainly...

I accept what the Minister said; in fact, he gave a far more thorough response to my inquiry than I expected. The confusion in our minds was because of the wording,"““by any provision of the Companies Acts””," as opposed to this Companies Act. It would have been clearer to the lay man—certainly...

Our names are added to Clause 322 stand part, in which case there is a complete anomaly. That clause provides that an independent assessor appointed by the company,"““has to attend the meeting at which the poll will be taken””." Since the request for the appointment of an independent assessor may be received...

Our names are added to Clause 322 stand part, in which case there is a complete anomaly. That clause provides that an independent assessor appointed by the company,"““has to attend the meeting at which the poll will be taken””." Since the request for the appointment of an independent assessor may be received...

I am grateful to my noble friend. Does he agree that what happens in the top echelons of a company regarding pay and conditions of service is shrouded in mystery so far as the man or woman in the street is concerned? I submit that the information is deliberately withheld. What my...

I am grateful to my noble friend. Does he agree that what happens in the top echelons of a company regarding pay and conditions of service is shrouded in mystery so far as the man or woman in the street is concerned? I submit that the information is deliberately withheld. What my...

I too believe that transparency is absolutely essential in these matters. While listening to the debate, I found myself thinking about one of my favourite films, ““Cool Hand Luke””. I do not know if noble Lords have seen it, but by the end of the film Luke has escaped far too many times...

I too believe that transparency is absolutely essential in these matters. While listening to the debate, I found myself thinking about one of my favourite films, ““Cool Hand Luke””. I do not know if noble Lords have seen it, but by the end of the film Luke has escaped far too many times...

I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 339, as amended, agreed to. Clause 340 [Form of authorising resolution]:

I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 339, as amended, agreed to. Clause 340 [Form of authorising resolution]: