Clause 2 - Initial function of OFCOM
Office of Communications Bill [Lords]
12:00 pm
Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury, Conservative)
My hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) was accused of not knowing what the Minister was talking about. That could be applied to all of us, because although the Minister started to specify time scales, they still seem uncertain.
I gave an analogy when Mr. Stevenson was in the Chair, which I hope you will allow me to repeat, Mr. Gale. I declared an interest in the horse racing industry. The former Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw), gave an assurance two or three years ago that the status of the Tote and the levy system would be changed. Responsibilities have been transferred to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the industry still awaits legislation, even though we are now in a different Parliament.
That industry has been thrown into chaos because of delay. The last thing we want is the communications industry to be thrown into similar chaos. The Minister said that that will depend on the parliamentary
timetable, but we have been told that matters raised by Opposition Members are irrelevant because they will be in the main Bill, which will begin in spring—a debate followed about what spring meant. I am not entirely satisfied by the Minister's considerate response so I will press the amendment to a Division.
Question put, That the amendment be made.
The Committee divided: Ayes 5, Noes 11.