Clause 22
Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill
10:00 am
Jim Fitzpatrick (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry; Poplar and Canning Town, Labour)
This amendment relates, as the hon. Gentleman said, to clause 22, the council’s voluntary activities and functions in this part of the Bill. Clause 22 (4) (b) provides for the new national consumer council to acquire an interest in a company with a view to exercising its function under this clause. Following debates in the other place, a Government amendment was moved to make the council’s power to acquire an interest in a body corporate subject to the approval of the Secretary of State. As a body which is part-funded by the taxpayer, there will be a duty on the council to satisfy certain requirements regarding its financial dealings. Having to obtain the Secretary of State’s approval for expenditure in this area ensures that there is a consistent approach to proposed expenditure across all aspects of the council’s functions.
I am pleased to say—and this might surprise the hon. Gentleman—that the Government accept, in principle, his probing amendment laid to clause 22 of the Bill, that the Secretary of State must publish the reason for any approval given to a request by the new NCC to acquire an interest in a body corporate. This will ensure that any decisions taken are transparent and open to public scrutiny. Having considered this matter, I can advise him and the Committee that we intend to bring forward a Government amendment to like effect on Report on the basis that we believe that the drafting could be technically improved. I hope that, with this assurance, the hon. Gentleman will be minded to withdraw his amendment.