Henry Bellingham (Shadow Minister, Constitutional Affairs; North West Norfolk, Conservative)

A warm welcome to you this afternoon, Sir Nicholas.

We debated amendment No. 244, which, if the Committee recalls, was grouped with amendmentNo. 206 in the debate about clause 3. The Minister will recall the discussion about the phrase

“so far as is reasonably practicable”.

She charmingly said that she would consider my wording to see whether she could accept it. I was wondering whether, at this stage, she could fill us in and say whether she had been able to take the matter further.

John Mann (PPS (Rt Hon Richard Caborn, Minister of State), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Bassetlaw, Labour)

The word “transparent” comes up in clause 28(3)(a). Will the Minister clarify that “transparent” includes transparent to consumers and complainants, as well as to regulators and the board?

Bridget Prentice (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Lewisham East, Labour)

I can absolutely assure my hon. Friend and guarantee that “transparent” applies so that the consumers as well as the regulators are clear about what is going on.

On the issue of “reasonably practicable”, I must tell the hon. Member for North-West Norfolk that I have not had time to consider his wording in detail, but I shall most certainly come back to him on it shortly.