Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill [Lords]

I am happy to give both hon. Members the assurance that we will do so, and to reaffirm that the new council will continue to carry out the central functions currently undertaken by the sectoral bodies. We do not want to lose any of the success that has been achieved. In response to the specific point about publication of reports, it will be at the discretion of the Secretary of State whether to publish reports that he or she has commissioned from the new council. That allows for the preservation of confidentiality, if need be, but the council is free to publish its own reports. I can confirm that we will monitor implementation. On the point about the level of the penalty for estate agents, we envisage the cap set in the Bill. I remind the House that it will be possible to consider the fitness of an estate agent to continue to practise, and a prohibition order may be made against such an agent, banning them from doing estate agency work. The sanctions are potentially much more severe than simply the level of the penalty. The Bill provides a significant boost for consumers, strengthening their position, as Members across the House have recognised, and I commend it to the House. Question put and agreed to. Bill accordingly read the Third time, and passed, with amendments.