Pension Annuities (Amendment) Bill
8:55 am
Ms Ruth Kelly (Economic Secretary, HM Treasury; Bolton West, Labour)
I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Stevenson. I think that this is the first time that I have debated a Bill under your chairmanship and I look forward to receiving the benefit of your wisdom and experience. I also thank—through the Chair, of course—the right hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) for the rose. It is the third that I have received today—the other two were from my children.
If our debates are not concluded today, I look forward to further sittings. I tried extremely hard to explain all my arguments against the Bill on Second Reading, but was rudely interrupted in mid flow. I was about to refer to its financial implications when, unfortunately, we were faced with the closure motion and the House did not have the chance thoroughly to debate such matters.
Question put and agreed to.