David Gauke (Shadow Minister, Treasury; South West Hertfordshire, Conservative)

The clause contains an appeals mechanism, which is welcome. It makes use of the financial services and markets tribunal, which generally applies for FSA-authorised entities seeking to make an appeal. The provision shoehorns the payment systems legislation into this, so will the Minister assure the Committee that he is satisfied that the tribunal will have the necessary expertise in this specialised area? It deals generally with FSA-regulated entities rather than Bank of England-supervised entities, so will he assure the House on that point?

Ian Pearson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform; Dudley South, Labour)

Yes, I believe that I can. Thought was clearly given when coming up with an appropriate body to consider appeals, and we believe that the financial services and markets tribunal will have the experience to consider the sort of decisions that may be referred to it. I have confidence in the tribunal, and believe that it is appropriate for the Bill to have an appeals procedure that refers to it.