Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. A246: "Page 391, line 39, leave out paragraph (f)." The noble Baroness said: We are still in Clause 826. Amendment No A246 deletes paragraph (f) of subsection (3), again on a probing basis. Subsection (3) sets out what is meant by ““supervision arrangements””. These include, under paragraph (f), decisions about disciplinary arrangements. For completeness, I should probably also have deleted paragraph (e) on a probing basis since that relates to disciplinary hearings. My purpose in tabling this amendment is to probe the constitutional position of disciplinary action undertaken by a private sector body against someone who is an officer of Parliament. I am not sure of the constitutional position of all auditors general but I understand that the Comptroller and Auditor General is an officer of the House of Commons. Is there any precedent for an officer of Parliament being subject to such disciplinary proceedings? What would be the consequences for the status of the Comptroller and Auditor General in the event of such disciplinary hearings? As I understand it, the C&AG is responsible to the other place and the work of the National Audit Office is overseen by the Public Accounts Commission in another place. How will those arrangements interface with these new external disciplinary processes? I beg to move.