Damages-Based Agreements Regulations 2010

As I said, and I think I made it perfectly clear, we were not going to oppose this order. We are saying that we do not know whether 10 per cent is the right or the wrong figure. If the noble Lord had waited for the next paragraph of what I was going to say, I would have addressed the crucial question of what happens post 6 May. As the noble Lord is aware, on 6 May there is quite likely to be an election. We have been discussing this for some time. If we win that election, I can give an assurance that the one thing that we will do is conduct a full and comprehensive review of all aspects of the Jackson report, after which we will consult properly on it and come forward with the right proposals. I know that the noble Lord’s party has a different policy in relation to orders in this House. We will not be opposing this order in this House. It would not be right to do so. However, we will look at all these matters and then come forward with conclusions. Our questions are really about why the Government are doing this now. What is the concern and why is there this mad rush? The noble Lord, Lord Carlile, ought to be suspicious of a Government who are rushing just one part—not even a recommendation of the Jackson report—through at this stage with such undue haste. I hope that that answers the noble Lord and I hope that he will be satisfied that I cannot give him the answer that he requires at this moment. He really needs to repeat the question that I am putting to the Minister: why are the Government doing this at this stage and with such speed? Some of us have every right to be suspicious. I hope that the Minister will be able to address some of those questions when he responds, but I think that he will find that there will be many other questions put to him in the course of this debate.