Mr Alistair Carmichael (Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland), Northern Ireland Affairs; Orkney & Shetland, Liberal Democrat)

I have listened carefully to the Under-Secretary's explanation, and I do not think that the situation is any better than it was when I raised my probing amendment. When I made my living from being a lawyer, and sat in my wee office in Macduff, or occasionally in Buckie, and I came across a legal problem that I did not know the answer to, sometimes it was a day or two before I could get back to a client. The Under-Secretary and her colleagues in Government have rather more substantial resources at their disposal than I ever had in my wee office in Macduff or Buckie. I cannot believe that the ranks of Government lawyers who will be employed in the drafting of the emergency regulation could not apply their mind for a second or two to whether the existing legislation was fit for purpose. It seems that the real point at issue is ensuring that the Minister's back is covered and that, as a result, we risk having duplication of effort and legislation, which ultimately would be undesirable.

I said initially that this is a probing amendment. Our probing has not elicited any great comfort, but I reserve the right to return to the matter at a later stage and, accordingly, do not intend to press it to a vote. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

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