Schedule 1
Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [Lords]
11:00 am
Mark Prisk (Shadow Minister, Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; Hertford and Stortford, Conservative)
These two amendments deal with our ability to hold the LBRO to account. Members of the Committee will realise that the annual report of the LBRO is the principal document that the House will have in order to consider the performance of the organisation that the Bill establishes. I am trying to ensure that our scrutiny is timely. I therefore wish to insert a phrase to both paragraph 12(5) and paragraph 13(6). Paragraph 12(5) of the schedule states:
“The Secretary of Sate must lay before Parliament a copy of each report”
—that is, the annual report—
“received under sub-paragraph (2)(a).”
My amendment would insert the phrase,
“no later than 30 days after its receipt.”
I am sure that it is not the intention of Ministers to unduly or deliberately lay such documents significantly later than that—six months or a year or so—but if we are to scrutinise these matters as a House, it is important that we have the documentation within a reasonable time. I think that 30 days is a perfectly reasonable time within which we could expect those documents to be forthcoming. If scrutiny is to be effective, it must be timely. I hope that the Minister will treat the amendments in a positive way, as these are matters that should be pressed.