Legal Services Bill [HL]

My Lords, we support the principle of this amendment. An important issue of principle is involved of the noble Baroness giving an undertaking, because people act on undertakings that are given from the Government Front Bench. It does not help to be told at a later stage, ““I have had discussions with ministerial colleagues who are controlling the Bill elsewhere and I am sorry but I cannot carry this through””. Decisions are taken on the basis of undertakings. Having said that, one of the refreshing aspects of the noble Baroness is that she is prepared to speak out to help the House come to conclusions and to resolve difficulties that the opposition parties have with government legislation. I do not want to discourage her from giving undertakings but I regard her as the agent for the Government whose word should not be distorted in any way by subsequent discussions.