Offender Management Bill

My Lords, I support what my noble friend has said. The matter of who will help people not to reoffend is enormously important. I am very worried that the system being set up by the Government will not work. I do not believe that the central control of this matter will operate successfully. I say this because I was at a meeting before, I think, Second Reading with the noble Baroness, Lady Scotland, and the voluntary organisations involved. The voluntary organisations were thrilled that they will get a better opportunity to enter the foray. In discussions with them afterwards, I felt that they did not realise the problems that centralisation would present. My noble friend and many others have tried to persuade the Government that they are making a mistake. They are insisting on doing it this way. My noble friend said that were we an elected House, she would divide. I applaud her for saying that because I am very sorry we do not feel that we have a mandate to pursue this matter because we are not elected. When I came to this House having been elected in local government, I felt the difference between being an elected person and not being one. I still feel it. It makes me wonder whether we are right to continue as an unelected House. Were we elected, we would certainly not let the Government get away with this one, arranging something that I do not believe will not work. I support my noble friend.