Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) : I move, That the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill be now read a second and third time. This bill confirms and validates 20 Orders in Council and one set of regulations made under nine separate Acts. The bill must be enacted by 31 December 2009 to avoid the subordinate legislation lapsing. The bill was introduced on 23 September 2009 and referred to the Regulations Review Committee on 20 October 2009. The select committee asked the seven relevant Government agencies responsible for administering the legislation to explain why confirmation or validation of orders was warranted. It should be self-evident. For example, we want those who are in receipt of State benefits to be able to continue to be in receipt of such. The select committee was satisfied with the responses it received, and presented its report on 20 November recommending that the bill be passed without amendment. On that basis, I thank the select committee for its expeditious consideration of this bill, and I look forward to its passage this evening.

Hon DARREN HUGHES (Labour) : Labour will be supporting the motion moved by the Leader of the House, who enthusiastically expounded to the country the virtues of this short but perfectly formed legislation. Subordinate legislation of this type confirms and validates other decisions that flow from other legislation. It is very much a procedural bill. In fact, this particular one affects very few Acts, as the Leader of the House has just outlined: the Animal Products Act, the Commodity Levies Act, the Customs and Excise Act, the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act, the Social Security Act, changes to road-user charges, the Tariff Act, the War Pensions Act, and the Wine Act. It has been fully considered by the Regulations Review Committee. Those are the only comments Labour has to make about it. The select committee has done a very credible job in its consideration of this legislation.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Rick Barker): I say to members that there is a lot of noise in the House today. Could those members who are standing up and conducting noisy conversations please depart for the lobbies. I mean all those members who are standing up and conducting noisy conversations—please depart for the lobbies. There is a lot of noise in this Chamber.

• Bill read a second and a third time.