Rating (Agricultural Premises and Rural Shops) Bill
10:30 am
Mr Damian Green (Ashford, Conservative)
I add my welcome to that of the Minister, Mr. Benton, as it is always a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. Given the stage that we are at, ours may not be the most difficult and turbulent Committee over which you have presided. [Hon. Members: ``Oh?''] I hear noises from my hon. Friends and the Liberal Democrats that suggest that I am wrong, so I shall bear that in mind.
It is almost a tradition and certainly a habit for Opposition spokesmen to say, as is true, that they want to scrutinise and improve the Bill without causing unnecessary delay. I assure the Committee that that has never been said as fervently and sincerely as I say it today.
As was clear on Second Reading, we are in favour of the principle of the Bill, which builds on legislation passed by the previous Conservative Government and makes an inadequate but small improvement. However, the Bill has weaknesses. We regret the fact that there are no Government amendments, given that hon. Members from both sides of the House suggested detailed improvements on Second Reading. I had hoped that the Government would take some of them up, but all the amendments have been tabled by Opposition Members.
Given the events happening outside the Room this morning, the remaining stages of the Bill are likely to be truncated further. With that in mind, we shall speed the Committee along as much as we can. In return, I hope that the Government show flexibility in the Bill's remaining stages, here and in another place, and meet by agreement our detailed suggestions for improvements to it.
Many businesses will be examining the effects of the Committee's decisions. I hope that one of the last Acts to be passed by this Parliament can afford them, in the best way possible, a small measure of relief. For that to happen, the Government will need to show a degree of flexibility and give and take during the remaining stages of the Bill. However, in the interests of good order, we have no desire to oppose the programming resolution.