Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL]

Certification by the court where the sanction is contempt of court proceedings is a very unsatisfactory way to proceed, yet that really is what the Government are setting out in this Bill. A great deal of thought must be put into that. I am very tempted by Amendment No. 104 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, which I think sets out the issue very clearly as to whether there should be an independent regulatory authority or whether the Government’s halfway house—it is not really a halfway house; it has only just set off on the road from the existing system—will be satisfactory. I hear what the noble Baroness says. I hope that over Christmas she will think very carefully about enforcement agents and how they should be regulated and will come back in the new year with some news for us. For the moment, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 99 to 104 not moved.] Clause 55 agreed to. Clause 56 [Certificates to act as an enforcement agent]: [Amendments Nos. 105 to 109 not moved.] Clause 56 agreed to. Clause 57 [Common law rules replaced]: [Amendment No. 110 not moved.]