We are still making heavy weather of things. I am not sure that the hon. Lady's contribution in respect of this amendment squares with her lengthy earlier contribution. She paid tribute to the rail regulator and his role in exercising his powers under

current legislation, then seemed to have difficulty with those functions and duties being transferred to the Office of Rail Regulation. It was sensible to make the consequential amendments, which transfer those powers from the rail regulator to the Office of Rail Regulation. The hon. Lady did not make any case to say why that is inappropriate. She asked several pertinent questions, for example on reports and accounts. I advise her that the ORR currently publishes annual reports and accounts and a business plan.

The hon. Lady rightly drew attention to the roles of the Strategic Rail Authority and the rail regulator. She will be aware that when Railtrack was placed in administration, the Government embarked on a review of the regulator's role, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the results of that review in a parliamentary answer on 12 June 2002. The proposals were to change to a regulatory board and to issue statutory guidance to the regulator and directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority, having regard to the authority's budget and strategies. Those documents were subsequently issued. The announcement went on to say that the effectiveness of the regulatory regime would continue to be kept under review as the rail sector developed. The Secretary of State set out the overarching principles that applied to that, making it crystal clear that independent economic regulation was an essential continuing requirement.

The hon. Lady must take on board that the principles laid down in the functions and duties in the Railways Act 1993, as amended by the Transport Act 2000, are broad and flexible. That enables the office to be adaptable, and I will give an example. It was possible to accommodate the change in management infrastructure from Railtrack to Network Rail, which, as different types of company, raise significantly different regulatory issues. That transition was accomplished under the existing functions and duties. I hope that the hon. Lady will reflect on that and withdraw her amendment.