Hunting Bill
2:15 pm
Mr Mike O'Brien (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; North Warwickshire, Labour)
The right hon. Gentleman is wrong. The process of modernising our proceedings means that there is a much more sensible division of time and that there is no opportunity—or at least no need—for those who want to prolong proceedings to make drawn-out, windy speeches of no relevance. The aim of modernisation is to ensure that we focus on the issues. Those of his constituents who agree with him—there may well be many who do not—want him to be able to put his point. I suggest that the time to do that is in discussion of schedule 3, which is the main schedule. The resolution allows plenty of time for a full discussion.
The Government have listened to representations, in particular from the Conservative party. We responded to them positively, and it is wrong for the right hon. Gentleman to say that the Government are in any way seeking deliberately to curtail the opportunity of any right hon. or hon. Members to put forward their views. There is ample time, and I hope that the Committee will agree the resolution.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved
Further consideration adjourned.—[Mr. Mike Hall.]
Adjourned accordingly at twenty-eight minutes past Two o'clock till Tuesday 23 January at half-past Ten o'clock.