I thank the Minister for that. The words “not necessary in the Bill” must be in the word processor for the team behind him, because whatever we ask, the answer is, “Don’t worry, we are doing it. It is not necessary to have it in the Bill”. I am not sure that this is always the best way of writing legislation. There are some things that are very important to have in the Bill as signals and they are also important for accountability.
It is interesting that the Minister, if I heard him correctly, said that the list of appointments which it has been agreed should go to a Select Committee was last published in August 2009. That was in the glorious days, of course, of a Labour Government, happy that they were. Given all the work that this Government have done in changing quangos and changing appointments, the idea that it has not been updated since then leaves me a bit surprised and perhaps reinforces the fact that, sometimes, having this in the Bill is really important.
We have no grounds even for raising the first appointment, as I made clear. We are delighted with the first appointment; we could not have done it better ourselves. If you would like to put us in government, we will do it ourselves. However, we are talking about the future and making sure that the commitment to consumers and their interests is there.
The final thing I will say is that I thought our wording “in the direct employment” covered the chief executive. If I did not word the amendment correctly, that was what it was meant to be. Whether that should be an undertaking in a side letter or something, that point remains. I am sorry that the Minister, who I believe speaks on behalf of a coalition Government with a commitment not just to continuing but to strengthening the powers of Select Committees in major public appointments, feels that that does not allow him to do so in this case. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.