MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS (Hansard, 4 April 1979)

§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. Derail Davies)
I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this we are to take Lords amendment No. 10, in page 27, line 23, leave out from "order" to end of line 27.

§ Mr. Emery
I know that the Front Bench had arranged that all these amendments would be taken on the nod, but I wish to ask a question. I can understand why the usual channels wish to get on with the business. If so, they might consider taking statutory instruments at the proper time, at the end of the day, instead of putting them before the main business, which has happened today. The blame for any delay should be laid at their door.
The Minister will realise that one of the major factors in the Bill has been the position of the Giro. I do not wish to go over all the debates. The Minister will know that in another place the Giro was included as being covered by the deposit protection scheme. Now, because we have come to the general election and there is a general desire that the Bill—many aspects of which would have been brought forward by either a Conservative or a Socialist Government—should reach the statute book, certain arrangements have been agreed. Because of that, on Report in another place the Giro was again removed from the Bill.
I should like to put down a marker that I would hope that after the election, when the Minister finds himself on the Opposition Front Bench—probably with a much more senior job, although a shadow job, than that which he now holds, but with five years in which to learn how to deal with matters—we shall be able to ensure that, under the Bill, it will be within the powers of any Government, by order, to bring the Giro into the whole of the scheme. I have not always been backed by all of my hon. Friends in this matter, but I wish to see the Giro being successful. But in order to be a success it must meet all the requirements of any other bank within the community, and in order to do that it will have to have the particular protection—

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
Order. Will the hon. Gentleman relate his remarks to the amendments, just for the sake of order?

§ Mr. Emery
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My remarks relate particularly to Lords amendment No. 9. In dealing with that, all that I wish to ask the Minister is whether I am right in believing that a Government of any party could 1348 bring the Giro into the scheme by statutory instrument.

§ Mr. Denzil Davies
I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that he seeks. The Giro is excluded from the operations of the Bill, as it now stands, but there would be nothing to prevent any Minister in the future from bringing the Giro within the ambit of the Bill. Whichever Minister is in charge would be able to do that. The powers are not limited in any way. I think that I can meet the hon. Genleman's point fully.