UK Parliament / Open data

Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

On a general point, I have been listening with great interest to these amendments, which are designed to make Clause 5 more interesting. It is fairly conventional stuff. The Minister has given us two descriptions. The noble Lord, Lord Desai, expressed a certain frustration—““Why do we not just get on with it? I mean, for goodness’ sake, we do not need all these extra words””. But we have had less is more. We have had a Better Regulation Task Force. We have had, I think, a commission at some point. We have had Hampton and now we have the Better Regulation Executive. What in Clause 5 means that the LBRO will add any value to the things that have already been going on, as we have already been told, for the past 10 years or so? I am puzzled, because it does not seem to me that anyone, whether a regulator, a local authority, a business or a member of the public, should be in any doubt about, as described by the Minister at the beginning, the intent to achieve better regulation. Who has not heard the argument or does not accept the argument or needs to be told again? I find it very difficult to put my finger on exactly what the LBRO will add. It will be a national body, but we already have one. Who will be dissolved to make room for the LBRO? Otherwise, why do we need it?
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
698 c45GC 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
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