Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

I accept the Minister’s stricture that this is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. I am grateful to him for that and for giving the commitment that there will be full public consultation. However, I could not help but reflect, as he said that we need to ensure that everything is accurate and up to date, that we cannot produce a list because it is ““impractical”” to do so. I am therefore not clear how we will know that everything is accurate and up to date. However, let us not go over ground that we have already covered. The nub of the argument is that Governments always want flexibility and Oppositions feel that every possible opportunity for flexibility should be denied because it tends to lead to difficulties. I will reflect on what the Minister has said. I think that I am persuaded that there are enough checks and balances here; I am just sorry that he could not produce an example of where they might happen. Even so, I hope that the Government will take the Pedlars Act 1871 out of Schedule 3, as that would please my noble friend Lord Cope greatly. In the mean time, however, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 11 and 12 not moved.]