Mr Frank Cook (Stockton North, Labour)

I apologise to the Committee for my late arrival. There is a first time for everything, and this is the first time that I have been late in more than 10 years.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham, Conservative)

On a point of order, Mr. Cook. On behalf of the Committee, may I say that I am delighted that you are here and that nothing untoward has befallen you? As you rightly said, in 10 years, you have never been late for a Committee, and I think that you are allowed to be late once every 10 years. We are delighted to have you in the Chair. Members on both sides of the Committee were worried about you.

My serious point of order is not necessarily for you, Mr. Cook, but for the authorities that look after the procedures of the House of Commons. In our first sitting, when we were debating the programming motion, I said,

``Far be it from me to suggest this, Mr. Cook, but the Chairman of the Committee might unaccountably be detained and not show up. I believe that there is no mechanism in the Standing Orders of the House for reclaiming lost time on the debate and scrutiny of any Bill.''—[Official Report, Standing Committee D, 10 April 2001; c. 6.]

That observation sprang from my experience in the Committee on the International Development Bill, where the same thing happened. An untoward event befell another Chairman and he was late, so time was lost for scrutiny of the Bill.

You might not want to comment on that now, Mr. Cook, but I wanted to put the matter on the record. A Chairman can be replaced by any member of the Committee, with its permission. I request the authorities of the House of Commons to examine whether there should be a mechanism by which we could start proceedings in the Chairman's absence, so as not to be impeded in our examination of the Bill.

Mr Frank Cook (Stockton North, Labour)

I thank the hon. Lady for her point of order, which is well taken, and offer a comment. Had there been five Chairmen for the Committee this morning, I would still have been late. I was late because I was working and unavoidably detained on parliamentary duty. Had I been able to foretell that unexpected work pressure, I would have been able to get a Chairman for the Committee, even though I am its sole appointed Chairman.

A provision was made on Monday this week, when the Programming Sub-Committee was to sit at 6.30 that evening and I had constituency duties in the morning. I kept in constant contact with the chief Clerk and with our worthy Committee Clerk to relate my progress down the M1 so that everyone would be assured that, if necessary, an emergency Chairman could be put in place. I assure the Committee that this morning's event was extraordinary and that I have no intention of being known as the late Mr. Cook, at least not in the next 10 years. The remarks are on record and I am content to leave it at that; there is no need to take further action.