My Lords, I am glad that my noble friend believes—how can I best put it?—that half a loaf is better than no bread. Ably assisted by my noble friend Lord Norton of Louth, he has achieved the first step in his ambition, expressed in his maiden speech to your Lordships—I...

My Lords, I am glad that my noble friend believes—how can I best put it?—that half a loaf is better than no bread. Ably assisted by my noble friend Lord Norton of Louth, he has achieved the first step in his ambition, expressed in his maiden speech to your Lordships—I...

My Lords, we from these Benches are very happy to support the compromise amendment on post-legislative scrutiny outlined by the Minister. One important aspect of any post-legislative scrutiny of such a far-reaching Bill as this is the fundamental importance of an effective publicity campaign about the new provisions, particularly those...

My Lords, we from these Benches are very happy to support the compromise amendment on post-legislative scrutiny outlined by the Minister. One important aspect of any post-legislative scrutiny of such a far-reaching Bill as this is the fundamental importance of an effective publicity campaign about the new provisions, particularly those...

My Lords, I have my Tellers in place—I should just like to keep the government Whips alive on this. Of course, the Minister is entirely right that we have reached agreement. I thank him very much for the Government’s movement on this issue—from saying that it was unnecessary to the...

My Lords, I have my Tellers in place—I should just like to keep the government Whips alive on this. Of course, the Minister is entirely right that we have reached agreement. I thank him very much for the Government’s movement on this issue—from saying that it was unnecessary to the...

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do not insist on its Amendment No. 28, in respect of which the Commons have insisted on their disagreement, and do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 28C and 28D in lieu. This is the one remaining issue on...

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do not insist on its Amendment No. 28, in respect of which the Commons have insisted on their disagreement, and do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 28C and 28D in lieu. This is the one remaining issue on...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in support of the amendment. As my honourable friend Mike O’Brien—I believe he will be Minister for Pensions Reform for a very long time to come—said in the other place, ending on a compromise is reflective of how this legislation...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in support of the amendment. As my honourable friend Mike O’Brien—I believe he will be Minister for Pensions Reform for a very long time to come—said in the other place, ending on a compromise is reflective of how this legislation...

My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons amendments be now considered. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. [The page and line references are to HL Bill 61 as first printed for the Lords.] 28: Insert the following new Clause- ““Post-legislative scrutiny Four years after the passing...

My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons amendments be now considered. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. [The page and line references are to HL Bill 61 as first printed for the Lords.] 28: Insert the following new Clause- ““Post-legislative scrutiny Four years after the passing...

Pensions Bill. Consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendment 28 not insisted on and Commons amendments 28C and 28D in lieu agreed to on question.

Pensions Bill. Consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendment 28 not insisted on and Commons amendments 28C and 28D in lieu agreed to on question.

Pensions Bill. Royal Assent notified 26 July 2007. CHAP 22 2007.

Pensions Bill. Royal Assent notified 26 July 2007. CHAP 22 2007.

I want to have one last brief go at this point, and then I shall allow the Minister to move on. The Government still have not stated clearly why they do not want to allow FAS beneficiaries to receive benefits at the Pension Protection Fund level. We Liberal Democrats have...

I want to have one last brief go at this point, and then I shall allow the Minister to move on. The Government still have not stated clearly why they do not want to allow FAS beneficiaries to receive benefits at the Pension Protection Fund level. We Liberal Democrats have...

I welcome the opportunity to debate this amendment and those that we shall soon address. As the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) made clear, the amendment on annuities, which this House debated last week and which the House of Lords rejected and replaced with those before us today, was...

I welcome the opportunity to debate this amendment and those that we shall soon address. As the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) made clear, the amendment on annuities, which this House debated last week and which the House of Lords rejected and replaced with those before us today, was...

With regard to post-legislative scrutiny, when provisions come before the House, many Members are at a disadvantage in so far as we do not have the time to go through the detail. Would the Minister like to give an undertaking to ask the National Audit Office to produce a report...

With regard to post-legislative scrutiny, when provisions come before the House, many Members are at a disadvantage in so far as we do not have the time to go through the detail. Would the Minister like to give an undertaking to ask the National Audit Office to produce a report...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way for what I imagine will be the last time during the passage of the Bill. May I join him and express the thanks of the official Opposition to the officials, the Clerks, all hon. Members who have spoken during the various...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way for what I imagine will be the last time during the passage of the Bill. May I join him and express the thanks of the official Opposition to the officials, the Clerks, all hon. Members who have spoken during the various...

With the leave of the House, I seek to reply to this debate and to some of the points raised. Let me first deal with what should perhaps be described as the political knockabout points, before moving on to the serious stuff. Various claims were made about the Parliament Act...

With the leave of the House, I seek to reply to this debate and to some of the points raised. Let me first deal with what should perhaps be described as the political knockabout points, before moving on to the serious stuff. Various claims were made about the Parliament Act...

I just want to make a few points. I agree with what the hon. Members for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) and for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) said about the lifeboat fund. It is a shame that it is not in the amendments; none the less, I do support...

I just want to make a few points. I agree with what the hon. Members for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) and for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) said about the lifeboat fund. It is a shame that it is not in the amendments; none the less, I do support...

The Government did not accept the lifeboat scheme for the very reason that we set out, which the Young review confirmed—that the basis of the scheme was full of financial holes. The Young report stated clearly that the idea that sitting in pension and insurance funds are assets that could...

The Government did not accept the lifeboat scheme for the very reason that we set out, which the Young review confirmed—that the basis of the scheme was full of financial holes. The Young report stated clearly that the idea that sitting in pension and insurance funds are assets that could...

I do not want to follow the Minister down the route of discussing the 1911 Act, because I suspect that I would be ruled out of order. However, I remind him that—amendments or no amendments, and whatever their wording—if the Government had accepted the principle of a lifeboat fund and...

I do not want to follow the Minister down the route of discussing the 1911 Act, because I suspect that I would be ruled out of order. However, I remind him that—amendments or no amendments, and whatever their wording—if the Government had accepted the principle of a lifeboat fund and...

I am grateful to the Minister for the speed with which he is seeking to act and for his generosity in suggesting a consultation, which I would welcome. He is right—time is of the essence and we should get on with this. If that means that a shorter than usual...

I am grateful to the Minister for the speed with which he is seeking to act and for his generosity in suggesting a consultation, which I would welcome. He is right—time is of the essence and we should get on with this. If that means that a shorter than usual...

I agree that it is important that the rules are introduced quickly. We will use the negative procedure, and we will seek to move as quickly as possible as we want them to be in place by the autumn. The House must have an opportunity to debate that, if it...

I agree that it is important that the rules are introduced quickly. We will use the negative procedure, and we will seek to move as quickly as possible as we want them to be in place by the autumn. The House must have an opportunity to debate that, if it...

I do not want to labour this point and I am conscious of the time, but I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.

I do not want to labour this point and I am conscious of the time, but I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.