Member

Amendments 224A and 226A, tabled in my name, probe the Government’s willingness to allow parliamentary scrutiny of the appointment of the database operator. The database will be a critical resource for both tenants and landlords, underpinning enforcement and transparency in the private rented sector. Amendment 226A is important because it seeks to ensure that the appointment of the database operator—a role central to the system’s effectiveness—is subject to proper parliamentary scrutiny. There have been a number of recent concerns about appointments made by government in the last few months, such as for the football regulator. The noble Baroness, Lady Deech, raised concerns about a deliberate policy of pausing the process for filling public appointments without particular reasons. Public appointments should be made with due process, which is why we are proposing parliamentary oversight of this appointment.