The clause now enables different provisions to be made for different purposes, including for different media, descriptions of work and deposit libraries, and it may make exceptions to the general provisions. Regulations will not be made without the consent of the National Assembly for Wales or the Scottish Executive, if the regulations remove or do not confer entitlements on the National Library of Wales or Scotland, respectively. There will be no obligation to obtain that consent where the national libraries, or the Faculty of Advocates in the case of legal publications, have access to electronic works by electronic means.

In all other cases, the National Assembly and Scottish Ministers must be consulted if the regulations would affect the national libraries in any way. It is also necessary to consult the deposit libraries and those publishers most likely to be affected before regulations can be made. I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for his words of reassurance.