Clause 3 - Limitations on order-making power
Regulatory Reform Bill [Lords]
5:30 pm
Mr Graham Stringer (Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office; Manchester, Blackley, Labour)
I trust the hon. Gentleman's intention, but if existing offences, of which there are many, are changed, how can we relate those offences to what is proposed in the regulatory reform orders? That is in the nature of changing whole regulatory regimes and is why the hon. Gentleman would create a gateway.
Having had time to read the advice that I have received, I acknowledge the hon. Gentleman's point, but under his amendment a seven-year penalty could be imposed. We decided that no regulation offence justifies such a penalty. If it did, it should be covered by primary legislation.