Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

I have to reply to the noble Lord. First, I have replied to the Constitution Committee and the letter will be winging its way to noble Lords. The problem has been Christmas: I got the Joint Committee on Human Rights document as we left and I know that noble Lords will not mind even the Government having a Christmas break. It is my intention—this always happens—that all correspondence will be copied to all Members of Committees. Members of the Committee who have not worked with this Minister on the Bill may find that they drown in correspondence before the end of the Committee stage. Secondly, I have said that I will consider the amendments and I will do so. This Minister says that this Minister will consider them and this Minister will. It is with the blessing and support of my honourable friend Mr McNulty that I will do so, as I would not dream of saying that otherwise. I mean that, and I will ensure that that happens. I hope that noble Lords will accept that I will do it. Too many Members of the Committee have theological ability for me to go there. However, as a Minister I know how many times noble Lords, Ministers, officials and voluntary organisations, in particular, regret having to wait for a Bill to come round to change or amend something or to recognise a new position. The flexibility of secondary legislation should not be underestimated. I think that your Lordships’ House takes its role on secondary legislation just as seriously as it does on primary legislation, and I would be very worried if noble Lords felt that putting matters in primary legislation for all time was the way forward on something as important and dynamic as this policy.