Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

As the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) rightly said, on Second Reading I spoke about what I consider to be the Bill’s excessive flexibility. I said that the Government would be able, through regulations and without sufficient reference to Parliament, to change quite fundamentally how the Bill works in practice, and I maintain that that is still the case. I can understand that all Governments like to have some flexibility. Legislation probably benefits from a degree of flexibility, especially if there are financial considerations that mean that the Government may need to manoeuvre to some extent to respond to events. However, we are sent here to represent our constituents and to make sure that Bills are scrutinised properly, and there are a very large number of moving parts in this Bill. The word ““mockery”” is too strong, but it undermines the scrutiny process if Bills brought before us for our approval have so much scope for interpretation by Ministers at a later date. I continue to hold that view about this Bill. I regard it as broadly benign, but a wider principle is at stake. However, I shall not detain the House unnecessarily, as I agree with all the accurate and wise comments made by the hon. Member for Fareham. Rather than making them all again, I shall confine myself to saying that I hope that the Minister will respond accordingly.