Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill [Lords]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have a high regard for him and it is in that spirit that I wish to put a question to him. I was a member of the Committee, although as a Scots Member I would not have dreamt of intervening on matters so vital to England, and I was left with a doubt in my mind. On the one hand, the official Opposition argue about the role of estate agents, and the hon. Gentleman rightly expressed his worries about how often we can address these issues; on the other, they did not seem to be keen on regulation. They seemed to think that market forces would be sufficient. If the hon. Gentleman could clarify that point, I would be very grateful.