Statistics and Registration Service Bill

With this we may discuss Lords amendments Nos. 71 and 73. This group of amendments responds positively once more to a recommendation from the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee in the other place. This is a technical issue that I hope need not detain us for too long. The recommendation relates to the delegation of a function of a Minister of the Crown, a Welsh Minister or a Northern Ireland Department under clause 22. The recommendation made by the Committee was that where a Minister of the Crown, a Welsh Minister or Northern Ireland Department delegates a function to the board by order, that order should be subject to the negative resolution procedure if it amends primary legislation. This group of amendments carries out that recommendation, which is tidier in terms of House procedure. I should note that the amendments do not apply to Scottish Ministers because, as agreed with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Ministers are not able to delegate functions to the board. I commend the amendments to the House. Lords amendment agreed to. Lords amendment No. 66 agreed to. Lords amendments (a) to (qqq) agreed to. Lords amendments Nos. 67 to 70 disagreed to. Lords amendment No. 71 agreed to. Lords amendment No. 72 disagreed to. Lords amendment No. 73 agreed to. Committee appointed to draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to certain of their amendments to the Bill: Dr. Vincent Cable, Angela Eagle, Mr. Michael Foster, Siobhain McDonagh and Mrs. Theresa Villiers; Three to be the quorum of the Committee.—[Mr. Alan Campbell.] To withdraw immediately. Reasons for disagreeing to certain Lords amendments reported, and agreed to; to be communicated to the Lords.