Equality Bill [Lords]

Certainly, Madam Deputy Speaker. I do not need to answer the hon. Lady’s question because I have said at least six or seven times in the past half hour how worthy I consider the Bill to be and stressed the importance of the work of the new commission for equality and human rights. The hon. Lady’s question was therefore unnecessary and I should not have given way to her. The new body should be accountable for its spending. Without amendment No. 42, the commission would be required to"““send a copy of a statement under sub-paragraph (1)(b)””—" a statement of its accounts for the year—"““to . . . the Secretary of State, and . . . the Comptroller and Auditor General.””" Amendment No. 42 would require the commission to send a copy to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. It is essential that hon. Members should be able to examine the accounts of the new body and hold it to account for every pound of taxpayers’ money that it spends. It would be wrong if my concern for fiscal prudence were misinterpreted as opposition to the Bill. I reiterate my total support for the principle of the measure. The official Opposition support the Bill’s intention. However, in doing that, it is our duty to be the guardians of taxpayers’ money and amendment No. 42 therefore proposes that, every year, we should be able to examine every pound that the commission spends. Of course, I have confidence that every pound will be well spent.