Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

We cannot foresee a period in which a maturity period of less than 12 months would be desirable, which is why we are setting the bar at 12 months. That does not prevent the period from being longer. As I said, we envisage setting the maturity period at two years, but the regulations put the minimum bar at 12 months because we believe a lesser period is not sufficient to encourage the saving habit. Lords amendment 6 is intended to correct a minor error in drafting. The Bill provides that the Northern Ireland social security commissioner will hear certain saving gateway appeals on non-tax matters in Northern Ireland. Clause 25(7)(b) originally provided that a tribunal of three or more commissioners would fall within the Bill's definition of a Northern Ireland social security commissioner. That would be unnecessarily restrictive in comparison with the position for appeals on comparable matters such as the child trust fund, where only two such commissioners are sufficient. The amendment would mean that only two were required, which would make the provision consistent with the relevant Northern Ireland social security legislation. Finally, Lords amendment 8 would increase parliamentary scrutiny of the use of the regulation-making powers provided by the Bill. As hon. Members may know, most of the delegated powers will be subject to the affirmative procedure on their first use, and the negative procedure on subsequent uses. As the Bill stands, there are four exceptions in which every use of the power will be subject to the affirmative procedure: the three delegated powers relating to eligibility for the saving gateway, and the power for regulations to set the match rate. As those delegated powers relate to central features of the gateway, it is right for any changes to be subject to full parliamentary scrutiny. The hon. Members for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) and for Taunton (Mr. Browne), along with some in another place, have suggested that parliamentary scrutiny of the delegated powers in the Bill should be strengthened further, and the Bill responds to that. It will make three more regulation-making powers subject to the affirmative order on each use rather than just on the first use: the powers to set the monthly deposit limit, the maturity period, and the number of accounts that people can hold either at the same time or during their lifetimes. As changes in those areas could significantly affect the cost of the saving gateway, we agree that the affirmative procedure is appropriate. I hope that Members will welcome the increased parliamentary scrutiny of the powers in the Bill, and, indeed, all the amendments.