Let me start with something on which I suspect the Minister will be in agreement. This is one of the most important parts of the Bill and so I regret that the Committee is unable to have the wisdom of the Liberal Democrat Benches. They took the trouble to raise a point of order on the Floor ofthe House yesterday about the effects of this part of the Bill, but sadly they have not chosen to be here to debate it this morning. I am sure that their contribution would have been very useful.

The Minister talked about the trinity of reforms, perhaps casting an unnecessarily holy glow over the Home Secretary’s proposals in this area. But it is one to which I naturally respond, as I am sure you do, Mr. Amess. The Minister’s use of language is either peculiarly appropriate or inappropriate, depending on where one comes from. His explanation of regionalisation left me even more perplexed about why he is going down that route—[Interruption.]