Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

I do not feel that there will be a great difference between us on this subject. There is a lot of sense in what was said by the hon. Members for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper) and for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) and by my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Andrew Miller). We agree about the need for review and the need to examine how the measures in the Bill will operate. The hon. Member for Forest of Dean asked me about previous assurances. With regard to new clause 2, I am happy to repeat the Government undertaking made in Committee that a Minister of the Crown will report to the House on the operation of the Bill no less than five years after enactment. Of course I support the notion that the Government should constantly be looking to see how well their reforms are working. We are already taking action in that regard. The Government have proposed an amendment requiring that explanatory documents for all orders made under new clause 19 should include an assessment of the extent to which the order removes or reduces burdens.