Financial Services and Markets Bill
5:45 pm
Lord Peyton of Yeovil (Conservative)
My Lords, I should like briefly to apologise for the fact that it was not possible for me to get here earlier. I had no intention of rising to my feet until I heard the contribution made by my noble friend Lord Jenkin. My noble friend lost nothing by his restraint as it was a very effective protest. I should like particularly to echo what he said in tribute to the noble Lord the Minister, who has the embarrassing task of defending the really messy conduct of the Bill. I just wish I knew who really is responsible; if anyone has been the pilot--p-i-l-o-t, not spelt the other way--behind the scenes.
I shall not detain the House any longer except to say that if I were given a single wish now it would be that the noble Lord who is conducting proceedings on the Bill would so far forget himself as to forget where he is and think that he was sitting, as he was a couple of years ago, on the Opposition Front Bench. I do not believe for one moment that he would be quite so restrained in his condemnation of the Government's conduct as, on the whole, we on this side of the House have been. I want to ask one question. Is it possible to identify anyone who has been more responsible than most for the ghastly mess in which we find ourselves?