Clause 31 - Commencement
Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill
2:45 pm
Jim Murphy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Cabinet Office; East Renfrewshire, Labour)
Of course I will obey your strictures, Sir Nicholas. The hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire said that a sunset clause was a necessary safeguard. I am making the point that there are other safeguards and protections in the Bill and in our procedure. Not least among them is that under the 2001 Act there is a ministerial undertaking not to press ahead with proposals that the relevant Select Committees oppose. The additional protection that we have conceded in Committee is that we will have conversations with Conservative and Liberal Democrat Front Benchers—I think that it will be the week after next—about the specific shape of the principle of a veto. That is a substantial and significant additional protection that we are now committed to putting into the Bill as a consequence of points raised by hon. Members, particularly those opposite, and by the relevant Select Committees. In our opinion, that and the other reasons given mean that the sunset clause is not necessary.