Clause 16 - Membership etc. of the Consumer panel
Communications Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet, Conservative)
Before I call Mr. Murphy to move the Adjournment, I should like to place one other issue on the record. The Chairman has a number of duties: to protect the interests of the Back Bench; to ensure that the business of the House is properly debated; and of course to implement the votes of the House as determined after Second Reading.
The inevitable consequence of the decisions that were taken by the Programming Sub-Committee this morning are that, on Tuesday next week, 50 amendments and 40 clauses must be debated within two and a half hours. Members of the Committee may consider that to be satisfactory and that the matters for consideration are such that no more time will be needed. However, I am disposed to recall the Programming Sub-Committee at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning in this Room immediately prior to our sitting to consider the matter, once the usual channels have had the opportunity to discuss it. I shall leave it to the Government Chief Whip to inform me whether he wishes the Programming Sub-Committee to sit again.
That being so, I should like to say to members of the Committee, because it may have another knock-on effect, that I have already said to Mr. Atkinson that I am willing to take the Chair between 8 and 10 pm on Tuesday evening to progress business and to bring the running order back on schedule. However, that must initially be a matter for discussion by the usual channels.
Further consideration adjourned.—[Mr. Jim Murphy.]
Adjourned accordingly at five minutes past Five o'clock till Tuesday 17 December at half-past Ten o'clock.