Member

As I have said from this Dispatch Box that is likely to be the case, we have set out a minimum two-year gestation period for the SIA to get itself into a position whereby it issues guidance to, consults with and involves those 154,000 businesses and 24,000 organisations that will be impacted by the Bill, and that period will happen. That will add to the current £34 million cost of the SIA and the 416 staff it currently employs. So there will be additional staff, additional resources and a gestation period of potentially two years for the SIA to lay down the concerns and issues that the noble Lord wishes to examine. We will return to that in later amendments, but I hope for the moment I can assure him that this will be looked at, and that development of the SIA as the regulator for this potential legislation is well in hand and will be well in hand downstream once Royal Assent has been achieved.