Lord Moylan (Con)

My Lords, I hope I do not sound too harsh when I say that the Minister’s speech was completely lacking in any substance about how he is going to achieve the target which is being imposed, willingly, by this legislation on the Government. It is all still on a wing and a prayer. It is possible that a way of addressing this, when we come to Report, would be to develop my amendment requiring an annual report so that it is more specific in saying that it is an annual report that would explain how 2% or 2.1%or 2.2%, whatever is the necessary figure, was being achieved each year and, where it was not being achieved, what remedial measures the Government were going to take to achieve it. That might be a way forward when we get to Report, but there are other considerations and other noble Lords may have their own ideas. It is very unsatisfactory that the Minister has had several weeks to prepare for this. Our previous session in Committee was over three weeks ago, when we broke just at this point; had we been a bit more speedy, the Minister would have had to address these issues back then, on Wednesday 16 September. But no, the Damoclean sword was raised from his neck and he was given three extra weeks to prepare. What has he made of those three weeks? Very little indeed, as far as I can see. I beg leave to withdraw.