New Schedule 2 - Discharge of fines by unpaid work
Courts Bill [Lords]
11:15 am
Mr Christopher Leslie (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Shipley, Labour)
On a point of order, Mr. O'Brien. I take this opportunity to thank you for your steady stewardship and for helping me through proceedings on my first Bill since taking up my new portfolio at the Department for Constitutional Affairs. It has been an interesting experience all round. I hope that you can pass the Committee's thanks on to Mr. Illsley, who helped to see our proceedings through to a timely conclusion.
Our progress has been largely due to the wise and steady hand of the Yorkshire Members in the Chair and on the Front Benches. Their influence had a beneficial effect all round. I particularly thank you, Mr. O'Brien, for aiding me in some of my darker moments. At times, I was not quite sure which were Government amendments and which were Opposition amendments, but I think that we got things right in the end.
I also take this opportunity to thank the long-serving members of the Committee, particularly on the Labour Benches, for their contributions and their support for the Bill. Perhaps we can have a drink later, so that I can say thank them properly. I also thank the Clerks, those who helped to run our proceedings and the officials from my Department. Finally, I should say a special thank you to the Government Whip for steadying my nerves.
This has been a great experience, and I thank everyone who helped to see the Bill through Committee.