Communications Bill
10:30 am
Dr Kim Howells (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Pontypridd, Labour)
I beg to move,
That—
(1) during proceedings on the Communications Bill (in addition to its first meeting at half-past Ten o'clock on Tuesday 10th December 2002) the Standing Committee do meet—
(a) on Tuesday 10th December 2002 at half-past Four o'clock;
(b) on Thursday 12th December 2002 at five minutes to Nine o'clock and at half-past Two o'clock;
(c) on Tuesday 17th December 2002 at half past Ten o'clock and at half-past Four o'clock;
(d) on Thursday 19th December 2002 at five minutes to Nine o'clock;
(e) on Tuesday 7th January 2003 at half-past Four o'clock; and
(f) thereafter on Tuesdays and Thursdays at five minutes to Nine o'clock and at half-past Two o'clock;
(2) the proceedings to be taken on the sittings shall be as shown in the second column of the Table below and shall be taken in the order so shown;
(3) the proceedings which under paragraph (2) are to be taken on any sitting shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the time specified in the third column of the Table;
(4) paragraph (2) does not prevent proceedings being taken (in the order shown in the second column of the Table) at any earlier sitting than that provided for under paragraph (2) if previous proceedings have already been concluded.
TABLE Sitting Proceedings Time for conclusion of proceedings 1st Clauses 1 and 2, Schedule 1, Clauses 3 to 26, Schedule 2 and Clause 27 — 2nd 1 and 2, Schedule 1, Clauses 3 to 26, Schedule 2 and Clause 27 (so far as not previously concluded) — 3rd 1 and 2, Schedule 1, Clauses 3 to 26, Schedule 2 and Clause 27 (so far as not previously concluded) 11.25 am 4th 28 to 59 and Clauses 61 to 68 — 5th 28 to 59 and Clauses 61 to 68 (so far as not previously concluded) 1 pm 6th 69 and 70, Clauses 73 to 102, Schedule 3, Clauses 103 to 114, Schedule 4 and Clauses 115 to 146 — 7th 69 and 70, Clauses 73 to 102, Schedule 3, Clauses 103 to 114, Schedule 4 and Clauses 115 to 146 (so far as not previously concluded) — 8th 69 and 70, Clauses 73 to 102, Schedule 3, Clauses 103 to 114, Schedule 4 and Clauses 115 to 146 (so far as not previously concluded) 7 pm 9th 147 to 152, Clause 154, Schedule 5, Clauses 155 to 157, Clauses 159 to 169, Clauses 173 to 175, Schedule 6, Clauses 176 and 177, Schedule 7, Clauses 178 to 187, Schedule 8 and Clauses 188 to 192 — 10th 147 to 152, Clause 154, Schedule 5, Clauses 155 to 157, Clauses 159 to 169, Clauses 173 to 175, Schedule 6, Clauses 176 and 177, Schedule 7, Clauses 178 to 187, Schedule 8 and Clauses 188 to 192 (so far as not previously concluded) 5 pm 11th 193 and 194, Schedule 9, Clauses 195 to 214, Schedule 10, Clauses 215 to 237, Clause 153, Clauses 170 to 172 and Clause 238 — 12th 193 and 194, Schedule 9, Clauses 195 to 214, Schedule 10, Clauses 215 to 237, Clause 153, Clauses 170 to 172 and Clause 238 (so far as not previously concluded) — 13th 193 and 194, Schedule 9, Clauses 195 to 214, Schedule 10, Clauses 215 to 237, Clause 153, Clauses 170 to 172 and Clause 238 (so far as not previously concluded) 11.25 am 14th 239 to 263, Clause 60, Clauses 71 and 72, Clauses 264 to 275 — 15th 239 to 263, Clause 60, Clauses 71 and 72, Clauses 264 to 275 (so far as not previously concluded) — 16th 239 to 263, Clause 60, Clauses 71 and 72, Clauses 264 to 275 (so far as not previously concluded) 5 pm 17th 276 to 284, Schedule 11, Clauses 285 to 326, Schedule 12, Clauses 327 to 333, Schedule 13 and Clause 334 — 18th 276 to 284, Schedule 11, Clauses 285 to 326, Schedule 12, Clauses 327 to 333, Schedule 13 and Clause 334 (so far as not previously concluded) — 19th 276 to 284, Schedule 11, Clauses 285 to 326, Schedule 12, Clauses 327 to 333, Schedule 13 and Clause 334 (so far as not previously concluded) 11.25 am 20th 335 to 337, Schedule 14, Clauses 338 to 346, Schedule 15, Clauses 347 to 354 — 21st 335 to 337, Schedule 14, Clauses 338 to 346, Schedule 15, Clauses 347 to 354 (so far as not previously concluded) — 22nd 335 to 337, Schedule 14, Clauses 338 to 346, Schedule 15, Clauses 347 to 354 (so far as not previously concluded) 5 pm 23rd 355 to 375 and Schedule 16 — 24th 355 to 375 and Schedule 16 (so far as not previously concluded) 25th 376 to 386, Clause 158, Clauses 387 to 391, Schedules 17 to 19, Clauses 392 to 395, New Clauses, New Schedules and remaining proceedings on the Bill — 26th 376 to 386, Clause 158, Clauses 387 to 391, Schedules 17 to 19, Clauses 392 to 395, New Clauses, New Schedules and remaining proceedings on the Bill (so far as not previously concluded)
Thank you, Mr. Gale. I welcome you and your co-Chairman, Mr. Atkinson, to the Committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to debate the Bill with Committee members. I hope that it will be useful, and I am sure that hon. Members will make constructive progress. However, if we do not, I know from previous experience that you can be firm to the point of ruthlessness in driving debates forward, Mr. Gale. I welcome that.
The proposed programme motion was discussed at the Programming Sub-Committee yesterday, and I am pleased to say that there was general agreement on it at that meeting. The end date of 6 February will allow us 26 sittings to consider the Bill and any new clauses or schedules that might be proposed by amendment. The Government will table several amendments but will aim to give the Committee good notice of them. We will provide a written explanation of the nature and effect of each amendment when it has been tabled.
The 26 sittings should provide more than enough time for proper scrutiny of the Bill. We will, of course, work hard to examine the Bill thoroughly and carefully. I hope that we will be focused and consensual in our work, and I am sure that we will be extremely constructive in our approach, and will therefore make your job easy, Mr. Gale. The programme motion proposes that the provisions of the Bill be considered in order, with a few exceptions for reasons of sense that have been agreed by the Programming Sub-Committee. I hope that Committee members will agree that the proposals constitute a sensible and reasonable way in which to proceed, and I ask them to support the resolution.