Banking (Special Provisions) Bill

My Lords, I thought that that was going to be a counterbid. I have been in this place for only 10 years but I cannot recall being placed under this sort of time pressure before. We are now rushing into the Report stage. Normally, one would have time to reflect on what the Minister had said. I might want to say, ““I have heard what the Minister said but I may want to return to this at Third Reading””; that is perfectly possible under the rules and procedures in certain limited circumstances. How on earth will that be possible here? I register the strongest possible protest about the way in which this House is being treated. The other place can make its own case on this but we should register, from all sides of the House, the view that the Government might perhaps think again before proceeding with this sort of haste. The shares are suspended in Northern Rock; there is time for careful scrutiny of whatever the Government are proposing. That is why I return to this amendment and Amendment No. 3. It is perfectly possible for us to adopt the procedure that was used under the provisions affecting Northern Ireland; that would give the Government all that they need. However, the Government have not—so far—accepted that. Finally, today’s message to the public has been that the public and parliamentarians in both Houses are not really being given the information that they need. That goes considerably against all the democratic principles that I have been brought up with—that Governments have to explain what they are seeking to do. May we please now at last have a more detailed explanation of why the rush is necessary and why this amendment cannot be accepted? I beg to move.