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Charles Hendry: We have come from every direction, and we now know that I have finally gone too far. In many ways, I am disappointed by the Minister's response. He referred to the banking code, but the code is still inadequate because there is no requirement to talk to the borrower or the debtor. All the research into finding out whether somebody can afford to repay a higher level of borrowing will simply be based on information that can be obtained from credit rating agencies and other people like that. No check is required to find out whether the person involved thinks it affordable.
The people we are most concerned are those who are most honourable and would not use credit most of the time. However, they will suddenly think that because it is Christmas, they want a holiday, or to buy a present, and because they know that their limit has been extended, they will go and spend beyond it. We have seen some terrible cases. The Minister referred, as did I, to one where someone ultimately committed suicide because they had over-borrowed and had a range of different cards—that leads us to issues of data-sharing, which we will come back to on Report. We know that there were not enough safeguards in place. The Minister says that the banking code has been tightened up since then, but I hope that he would be prepared to go further, and that if he believes the approach is right but the amendment goes too far, we might work with, say, the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye to find an alternative form of words in which to draft a Government amendment on Report. I believe that the whole House wants this issue to be addressed.
Mr. Sutcliffe: I see some merit in having a discussion not only with the hon. Member whom the hon. Gentleman identified but with the industry itself. Perhaps then we can persuade the industry to tell us why it believes that the banking code will meet the requirements, as it has already told the Government. It is not, however, practical to meet interested Members and the industry to try to hammer out a solution that we can bring back on Report.
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Charles Hendry: I am most grateful for that offer and that reassurance. In the light of that, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Motion and clause, by leave, withdrawn.
Mr. Sutcliffe: On a point of order, Mr. Taylor. It is usual at this juncture to thank you and your co-Chairman, Mr. Conway, for your excellent chairmanship of our proceedings on a Bill that has been brought before the House before but that needed to be scrutinised in detail by Committee members. I pay tribute to that scrutiny, to the amendments tabled by the Official Opposition and the Liberal Democrats, and to the contribution made by all Committee members in trying to get the Bill through appropriately. I recognise that there are some issues that we shall return to on Report, and I am sure that the Bill will be given a good airing in the other place.
I also thank the Committee secretariat, the Hansard reporters, the police, the Committee Clerks, my DTI team who have supported me throughout the proceedings, and the Labour members of the Committee, including my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles, who has a tendency to yawn on numerous occasions, particularly when I am speaking.
Ian Stewart (Eccles) (Lab): I was not yawning, I was stretching.
Mr. Sutcliffe: Whether yawning or stretching, he still has the propensity to do whatever he does.
This is an important Bill, which is likely to be the first to receive Royal Assent in the new Session, once all passages are complete. That shows the Government's commitment to ensure that consumer credit is made actively transparent in the way that we have set out.
I also thank the Government Whip, who is the most important person on the Government Benches, for ensuring that a majority has always been in place and that we have had a good discussion through the usual channels with the Opposition Whip.
Charles Hendry: May I associate myself and my hon. Friends with the Minister's tribute to you, Mr. Taylor, and to Mr. Conway for the way in which you have chaired the Committee? I, too, thank the Clerks and the members of the other House of Commons teams for the support that they have given us, and the DTI team for the support that it has given the Minister.
The Committee has been enjoyable and productive, and I am particularly grateful for the way in which the Minister has conducted it. He has been courteous at all times, as well as extremely open and friendly. He has, however, said no rather too often. He described one of
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my amendments as excellent, and another as good but not excellent, so I was clearly getting worse as we progressed. ''Heading in the right direction'' has been the predominant comment, which is a little like ''could do better'' on my children's reports. At least we are heading in the right direction, which is something to be encouraged about.
We put a tremendous number of questions to the Minister, and I am grateful that he will reply in writing to some of them, because we do need greater clarity before the Bill reaches Report, and certainly before it goes to another place.
I am very grateful to my hon. Friends for their support. They have shown a tremendous amount of legal expertise and great understanding of the issues involved. All members of the Committee have brought constituency experience to the debate. These issues affect all our constituents, and I am particularly pleased that the Government saw fit to put on their side of the Committee people who might not always make helpful comments but whose sincerity cannot be doubted. I think particularly of the right hon. Member for Leeds, West, whose depth of experience in dealing with these issues has the admiration and respect of the whole House.
We are also grateful that the Liberal Democrats popped in from time to time—[Laughter.]
The Chairman: Order.
Charles Hendry: It has been a productive Committee, Mr. Taylor, and we have made progress. I am most grateful to you and Mr. Conway for chairing us so effectively.
Mr. Reid: It has been a friendly Committee, at least until now, and we have had some interesting discussions. I shall not rise to the bait, Mr. Taylor, but simply thank you and your co-Chairman, Mr. Conway, for the efficient way in which you chaired our proceedings. I also thank the Minister; he may always have said no, but he never failed to give a full explanation and he always handled matters courteously.
The Bill is important for our constituents. As someone new to DTI business, I found our discussions interesting. The Committee certainly dealt with the Bill effectively and efficiently. We shall return to the one or two items that remain outstanding on Report. I am pleased that, as the Minister said, it will be on the statute book quickly.
Bill, as amended, to be reported.
Committee rose at twenty-six minutes past Six o'clock.
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