Consumer Rights Bill (Carry-Over Extension)

Debate between Lord Spellar and Baroness Primarolo

Monday 12th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr John Spellar (Warley) (Lab)]

rose—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Dawn Primarolo)]

I call—[Hon. Members: “John Spellar”.] Oh, yes. I call John Spellar.

[Mr Spellar]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Those days we spent in Washington together were clearly—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. Mr Spellar, this is not the time to tell secrets. My apologies for temporarily not calling you correctly to speak.

[Mr Spellar]

I understand, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is an age-related thing.

I congratulate the Minister on moving the extension right up to the end of her period in Parliament. We wish her well in her future career. As she and the Opposition spokesperson said, this is an important Bill, in which case one wonders why the Government have taken so long to bring it to fruition on the statute book. What is their problem? It is not as though we are burdened with business. Week after week, the Government are filling time in this Parliament—not just since we came back after the Christmas holiday, but certainly since we came back in September. What have the Government been doing and why are they taking so long to pass the Bill? This Parliament has rightly now been described as a zombie Parliament.