Public Bodies Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for those assurances as they have taken us a little further than previously. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, and my noble friend Lady Jones for their contributions. I understand from the Minister that there are nine changes. I may not approve of all of them but she is probably right to say that they are relatively small changes. One which she cited was about having no regular reviews unless the Secretary of State says so. I would probably not approve on the specifics, but nevertheless I accept that they are relatively minor changes in the overall picture. The power that will come in with Amendment 60 will mean that Ofcom will be removed from the schedules, so it is an early sunset clause. In the light of that, and as we have received greater assurances than previously, I shall not press my amendment tonight. Although the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, made some good points to start with—and I do not entirely disagree with him about the structure of the BBC—including this regulator in the list for some future secondary legislation is the not way to change the governing structure of the BBC. I am very glad that that is not one of the consequences of allowing this to stand. In the light of the noble Baroness’s tight assurances—more than we have had for several other bodies—I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 39 withdrawn. Amendment 40 Moved by