Banking (Special Provisions) Bill

I am grateful to the Minister for battling through with his response, but I know that we are all grateful to my noble friend, Lord Forsyth, to my other noble friends and to the noble Lord, Lord Bilimoria, for the points that they made. No one should be under any misunderstanding about the strength of feeling on this whole matter. We are still unsatisfied. Given the contributions from all other noble Lords, further explanation by me is unnecessary. I say to the Liberal Democrats what Vince Cable said in the Commons on Tuesday in response to my honourable friend Philip Hammond on the same point. Vince Cable said: "““I feel that some perfectly sensible points have been made. For practical reasons, the Government are not able to limit the scope of the Bill, but at least they can limit the time scale for its implementation to an appropriate period ... There is no particular reason for the power to continue beyond that point, and it seems rather indulgent to let it go on for a year””.—[Official Report, Commons,19/2/08; col. 256.]" I beg to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 1) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 91; Not-Contents, 176. Clause 2 agreed to. Clauses 3 to 5 agreed to. Clause 6 [Transfer of property, rights and liabilities]: [Amendment No. 2 not moved.]