New Clause 8 - Judicial tenure
Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill
3:00 pm
David Heath (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Leader of the House, Law Officers (Constitutional Affairs); Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
I associate myself with the thanks that have already been offered by the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire to you, Sir Nicholas, and to Mr. Caton, for your chairmanship, and to the Officers of the House who have assisted us with the Committee.
We have had a very positive Committee in many ways. The arguments that have been adduced by the Opposition have been extremely cogent and well argued. I single out for thanks my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge, who has done a very good job in presenting arguments that are very relevant to the Committee. I should also like in passing to note the contributions of the hon. Members for Plymouth, Devonport (Alison Seabeck) and for Edmonton, who were prepared to engage in debate on some of the issues. We had a degree of engagement from the Minister too. I am not entirely convinced that I have to thank him a great deal for the one concession on the veto, because it is what he thought was in the Bill originally when he appeared before the Committee. We are now back to where we were before the Committee started.
My hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge had some fun suggesting a name for the Bill. To me it is quite clear. It is the Parliamentary Scrutiny (Abolition or Avoidance) Bill. Part 1 will not do. It will not pass unless we have substantial amendments on Report. I am quite sure that my noble Friends and others will fillet the Bill unless the Minister has some substantial amendments to make on Report.