Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

The Minister has the advice of the Attorney General available to him. I have good advice, too, advice that has been available to our party for a number of years and which has been useful to Ministers and Departments from time to time when discussing legislation. Mr. Jones is making my point. Builders are being let off the hook by the extension of the two year rule. The principle inherent in the legislation, when passed by both Houses in 2000, is being fundamentally undermined and diluted. It is time the building industry was told to join the rest of us and that it is part of the community. It seeks to make a profit, obviously, but it must come on board with the rest of us, particularly where the provision of housing for those who are not capable of providing it themselves is concerned.

The amendment we have brought forward agrees that the Minister should extend the permissions. We accept the point made on Second Stage that to terminate them now would cause a serious supply problem. However, in extending them the Minister should bring them within the remit of Part V. In so doing he would sustain the fundamental principle of the Bill and send a clear signal to the industry that it will not get off the hook and that its lobbying, at least in this case, has not worked.