Clause 31
Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill
1:30 pm
Susan Kramer (Shadow Secretary of State for Trade & Industry, Trade & Industry; Richmond Park, Liberal Democrat)
I very much appreciate the hon. Gentleman’s giving way. I was present during the Second Reading debate and thought that I heard something rather different. I thought that we heard from the Secretary of State that he proposed to accelerate the merger, so that it would take place ahead of the price review and the implementation of the directive. I thought that I heard from Conservative Front Benchers some warm words suggesting that that might appeal to them as a strategy. That is rather different from accelerating the price review. It is obviously impossible to accelerate the EU directive timetable. I wonder whether my interpretation was right. If not, I am somewhat befuddled about the position of either of the other parties.