Table
NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill
10:30 am
Sitting Proceedings Time for conclusion of proceedings 27th November Clause 1, Schedule 1; Clause 2, Schedule 2; Clauses 3 and 4, Schedule 3; Clauses 5 and Clause 6, Schedules 4 and 5; Clause 22; Clauses 7 to 10. _ 27th November Clause 1, Schedule 1; Clause 2, Schedule 2; Clauses 3 and 4, Schedule 3; Clauses 5 and Clause 6, Schedules 4 and 5; Clause 22; Clauses 7 to 10. _ 29th November Clause 1, Schedule 1; Clause 2, Schedule 2; Clauses 3 and 4, Schedule 3; Clauses 5 and Clause 6, Schedules 4 and 5; Clause 22; Clauses 7 to 10. _ 29th November Clause 1, Schedule 1; Clause 2, Schedule 2; Clauses 3 and 4, Schedule 3; Clauses 5 and Clause 6, Schedules 4 and 5; Clause 22; Clauses 7 to 10. 5 p.m. 4th December Clauses 11 to 19, Schedule 6; Clauses 20 and 21; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 1. _ 4th December Clauses 11 to 19, Schedule 6; Clauses 20 and 21; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 1. _ 6th December Clauses 11 to 19, Schedule 6; Clauses 20 and 21; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 1. _ 6th December Clauses 11 to 19, Schedule 6; Clauses 20 and 21; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 1. 5 p.m. 11th December Clause 23, Schedule 7; Clauses 24 to 33; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 2. _ 11th December Clause 23, Schedule 7; Clauses 24 to 33; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 2. _ 13th December Clause 23, Schedule 7; Clauses 24 to 33; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 2. _ 13th December Clause 23, Schedule 7; Clauses 24 to 33; new Clauses and new Schedules relating to Part 2. 5 p.m. 18th December Clauses 34 and 35, Schedules 8 and 9; Clauses 36 to 40; remaining new Clauses and new Schedules. _ 18th December Clauses 34 and 35, Schedules 8 and 9; Clauses 36 to 40; remaining new Clauses and new Schedules. 7 p.m.
I join the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) in welcoming you to the Chair, Mr. Hurst. In a small but none the less significant sense, this is something of a parliamentary occasion. Members of the Committee might not be aware that you and I went to the same school, and I think I am right in saying that I was the first person educated at Westcliffe high school to become a Member of Parliament and you were certainly the second. This must surely be the only occasion on which two Westcliffe high school old boys have been involved in the passage of a Bill—one as Chairman and the other as the Minister leading the case for the Government. Others may not be terribly thrilled by that, but I am and I hope that you are too.
My hon. Friends and I are looking forward to making progress on the Bill under your watchful stewardship, Mr. Hurst, and I can promise that we will try at all times to be on our best behaviour and never to give you cause to bring us to book or admonish our conduct in any way. I am sure that the same can also be said of other members of the Committee.
The resolution, which we discussed with the Opposition parties as recently as yesterday, offers the Committee a sensible way to make progress on a Bill that is 40 clauses long. In trying to reach agreement on these matters, we have made a number of concessions, including increasing the representation of Opposition Committee members, increasing the number of sittings and lengthening the time for which the Committee sits. Such measures are needed if we are to scrutinise the legislation properly.