TABLE Sitting Proceedings Time for conclusion of proceedings 1st Clauses 4 to 6, Schedule 1, Clauses 7 to 9, Schedule 2, Clauses 10 to 15, Schedule 3, Clauses 54 to 56 -- 2nd Clauses 4 to 6, Schedule 1, Clauses 7 to 9, Schedule 2, Clauses 10 to 15, Schedule 3, Clauses 54 to 56 (so far as not previously concluded) 7 p.m. 3rd Clause 57, Schedule 12, Clauses 58 to 61, Schedule 13, Clause 93, Clause 62, Schedule 14 1 p.m. 4th Clause 63, Schedule 15, Clause 64, Schedule 16, Clause 65, Schedule 17, Clause 66, Schedule 18 7 p.m. 5th Clause 67, Schedule 19, Clause 68, Schedule 20, Clause 69, Schedule 21, Clause 70, Schedules 22 and 23, Clause 71, Schedule 24, Clauses 72 and 73 11.25 a.m. 6th Clauses 74 and 75, Clause 104, Clause 76, Schedule 25, Clauses 77 and 78 7 p.m. 7th Clause 79, Schedule 26, Clauses 80 and 81, Schedule 27, Clause 82 1 p.m. 8th Clause 79, Schedule 26, Clauses 80 and 81, Schedule 27, Clause 82 (so far as not previously concluded) 7 p.m. 9th Clauses 83 to 85 11.25 a.m. 10th Clause 86, Schedule 28 7 p.m. 11th Clauses 87 to 89 1 p.m. 12th Clause 90, Schedule 29, Clauses 91 and 92, Clause 94 7 p.m. 13th Clauses 95 and 96 11.25 a.m. 14th Clause 97, Schedule 30, Clause 98 7 p.m. 15th Clause 99, Schedule 31, Clauses 100 to 103, Clause 105 1 p.m. 16th New Clauses, New Schedules, Clauses 106 and 107, Schedule 32, Clause 108 — 17th New Clauses, New Schedules, Clauses 106 and 107, Schedule 32, Clause 108 (so far as not previously concluded) — 18th New Clauses, New Schedules, Clauses 106 and 107, Schedule 32, Clause 108 (so far as not previously concluded) 7 p.m.
Finance Bill
Public Bill Committees, 26 April 2001, 9:30 am
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset, Conservative)
That was a charming exposition from the Chief Secretary and we shall remember him for it as we continue our deliberations, which we expect, I fear, to be rather abbreviated. I will confine myself to speaking for a moment about the programming motion. It is unusual at this stage to talk about the subject for debate, but is worth doing so briefly on this occasion.
We are grateful to the Government for having programmed this phase of the proceedings generously and sensibly. Regrettably, we were not able to debate the new clauses that we wished to debate on the Floor of the House. Liberal Democrat Members join us in that thought. We considered the possibility of trying to accelerate our perusal of the clauses and schedules in the Bill in order to move onto the new clauses more expeditiously, and in the anticipation of an early announcement from the Prime Minister. However, we rejected that possibility and have chosen instead with the Government to proceed in the normal workmanlike fashion through the various clauses and schedules.
That means that we will not be able, in all likelihood, to debate important new clauses. However, Parliament should have the opportunity to go through the details of as much as possible of the Bill before we are cast into a general election. I hope, as we proceed, given the short time available to us, that all Members, as well as Ministers, will seek to investigate the Bill in the true spirit of a Committee stage—that is, looking at the details and not at broad general principles, and trying to get the best possible outcome in a number of detailed respects.
I fear that the amusements purveyed by the Chief Secretary were on this occasion purely amusements, because I do not think that anyone could take any actual interest in any of the remaining clauses as a matter of high politics or general policy. It is without exception the most boring Finance Bill that any Government have produced for a very long time. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is much better that it should be so than that it should contain a large number of exciting items such as the aggregates levy, which we were forced to consider on the Floor of the House, which is a catastrophic measure. There is nothing totally catastrophic in the remaining 250-odd pages. It is, therefore, sad that we shall all be boring ourselves to extinction, but it is necessary, because there are details in the Bill that need addressing.
We must remind ourselves, somewhat piously, that the lives of many of our fellow citizens will be affected by this boring material, so it behoves us to attempt to get the Bill as right as we can. I hope that Ministers will exhibit the same flexibility as on the previous Finance Bill, where they allowed substantial amendments. That may be all the more difficult in view of the likely high speed of our proceedings.
I echo the Chief Secretary's sentiments in welcoming you to the Chair, Dr. Clark, but I cannot think that the reason advanced for your presence by the Chief Secretary is correct. It must be in the spirit of self-sacrifice that you offered your services on this occasion. The self-sacrifice is likely to be great, but brief.