Local Authorities (Alcohol Disorder Zones) Regulations 2008

My Lords, that is very helpful and I thank the Minister. On the broader point of the debate, I think this House will look very carefully, as it should, at the way the Government react to the reports of the Merits Committee on secondary legislation. The Minister will know that both opposition Benches have been very cautious about the amount of secondary legislation coming through. They are very nervous that more and more is being devised as secondary legislation by the Government. That is the very reason for the Merits Committee. When secondary legislation is not satisfactory—bearing in mind that we cannot amend it; we can only vote it through or not—it behoves the Government to take account of the comments of the very committee that we set up to look at this. Having said that, I am mindful of the Minister’s offer to see how this is working and come back to us in 12 months. He can rest assured that we, too, will see how this works and very much look forward to it coming back in 12 months so that we can debate whether our fears have been realised and whether the LGA and ACPO between them could have devised something far more useful which the Government could pick up and use. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. On Question, Motion agreed to.