Offender Management Bill

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, has been consistent in her comments on this matter. She knows that she has had our support all through the Committee and Report stages. The arguments have been well rehearsed. I do not think that I need to add anything further, except to say that the issue at the centre is about local agreement and central control. I accept that the amendment may be faulty, but we need to look at what it is trying to achieve. Because of the number of changes as regards this Bill in the past two or three years, I have no doubt that we will be back here before long. If we look at the Government’s legislative programme announced two weeks ago in this House, the emphasis that the Government are to give to local control and involvement is clear. I have no doubt that we will see that. In the mean time, as the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, is not proceeding any further with this matter, I want to assure her that in the future together we may be able to put it right.