Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Bill
10:30 am
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)
I join previous speakers in welcoming you to the Chair, Mrs. Adams. The hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler) thinks that Conservative Members consider the word ``consensus'' obscene, but I assure him that we do not. It is obvious from comments by previous speakers that there is a consensus, and I hope that all parties share the ultimate aim of allowing more females to represent the citizens of this country. In that sense, the word ``consensus'' is welcome.
However, I do not want to let the programme motion pass without noting that it is heavy handed. There is a lesson for the Government: programme motions are over the top and, indeed, otiose when the Front-Bench Members of the different parties are in agreement. Once again, we could have scrutinised the Bill rationally and properly to come up with something that was as near perfect as we could make it; there was no need to resort to a motion to limit the time spent on the Bill. There is no dispute between Committee members about the programme motion, but it is unnecessary and it was a waste of time to include it in the amendment paper.