Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

The hon. Gentleman anticipates amendments that we will reach later in the debate. I shall resist outlining those provisions now, as we have that joy to come. In the end, we have to make a judgment as to whether we want a deregulatory system that can do the job. New clause 19, with its associated amendments, was our response to fears that the Government were introducing too wide a power. Equally, there is a warning on the other side of the debate. If we legislate on the basis of every scenario in our wildest imaginings about what this legislation may be used for, we will end up with a repeat of the process that we have had twice before, which has achieved a consensus in Parliament but not the purpose that we wished. I shall end by reflecting on what my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston, the Chairman of the Regulatory Reform Committee said. It has been suggested in the debate that the Bill is about relieving the burdens on Ministers. That is not the intention of the legislation. Those who feel the burdens are the people and bodies outside the House, including charities, businesses, and voluntary and public sector organisations. They have to deal with the regulation and legislation that we introduce. It is they who feel the effects, and it is to them that we have a duty to regulate in such a way that the power can be used effectively.