Rating (Agricultural Premises and Rural Shops) Bill
10:30 am
Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
I, too, welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Benton. This is the first time that I have served under your chairmanship.
My remarks will closely mirror those of the hon. Member for Ashford. Given likely events elsewhere today, I feel a little like the forgotten elements of the Japanese army—I am carrying on the war on some god-forsaken island in the Pacific while everyone else is concentrating on other things. None the less, the Bill is important. As I said on Second Reading, I regret that it was not introduced earlier. If it had been, it could have been properly considered by now; indeed, it could nearly have been on the statute book. I hope that it is not too late to ensure that it is put in place.
As the hon. Member for Ashford said, the Bill can be improved. We have tabled amendments, which we are intent on discussing. The Bill is welcome, but it has flaws. If we can improve it in the short time available, we shall be doing our jobs as parliamentarians. It would be more sensible for us to deal now with the substantive matters in the Bill rather taking a great deal of time to discuss the programming resolution.