Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [HL]

The Minister almost redeemed himself with his final offer to look kindly on the points made by the noble Lord, Lord Newby. I invite the Minister to clarify whether Schedule 9, I think he said, relating to the provisions of a National Lottery Act, picks up directions in this Bill. I cannot discover where this Bill requires its directions to be published in anyone’s accounts. The noble Lord, Lord Newby, made the perfectly valid point that in any event the timing of such directions relating to Clause 21 would be inappropriately lacking in timeliness. In relation to Clause 5, we have consistently been told that the reclaim fund will be a private body; yet, here the Government are taking direction powers to interfere in a private body. I cannot think of anything more important than to tell Parliament when the Government have decided to interfere in a private body. I shall not prolong the Committee, but I would say to the Minister that there are some loose ends in this area of transparency of directives. I was mildly encouraged by his response to the noble Lord, Lord Newby, and I hope that the Minister will undertake to clarify for me—