Clause 50
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill
12:30 pm
Michael Weir (Spokesperson (Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; Energy; Work and Pensions); Angus, Scottish National Party)
I beg to move amendment No. 95, in clause 50, page 41, line 45, at end add—
‘(7) The Secretary of State must consult with all organisations with a relevant material interest prior to making regulations under this Act.’.
This is basically a probing amendment. I recognise that it is not perfect, not least because it does not define “a relevant material interest”. I am sure that the Minister would have made that point, so I got there first.
One of the problems with the CSA has always been the amount of regulation, and their difficulty and complexity. The many organisations throughout all the jurisdictions in the UK have now built up a great deal of expertise in dealing with those regulations and the problems that have arisen under them.
In drawing up regulations for CMEC under the new Act, it would be valuable to consult such organisations so that we might avoid some of the pitfalls that bedevilled the CSA. I am not suggesting that the consultation continue for ever, and I appreciate that we must come to a decision and introduce regulations, but I want to tease out from the Minister what consultation is being undertaken and who is being consulted. I also want him to understand that it is useful to consult those who have worked at the coal face over many years.