Schedule 2 - Activities liable to control under the Act
Private Security Industry Bill [Lords]
6:45 pm
Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey, Liberal Democrat)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Winterton. I shall be brief. [Laughter.] I thank you and your co-Chairman, Mr. Benton. I thank also the civil servants, who are always there to provide answers to questions for which the Minister's brief did not prepare him. I thank the Minister for his usual courtesy. An important Bill, long in gestation, has been dealt with in one of the least confrontational ways of any Home Office Bill that I can remember. I am glad that there was such consensus, and I am grateful for the Committee's expedition. Within limits, there is some merit in programming motions. We should never commit ourselves to doing too much—it could be a straightjacket—although a little pressure from time to time does nobody any harm.