Hunting Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Alun Michael (Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Cardiff South and Penarth, Labour/Co-operative)
I beg to move,
That the following provisions shall have effect in place of the resolution agreed on 18th December:
(1) during proceedings on the Hunting Bill the Standing Committee shall, in addition to its first sitting on Tuesday 7th January at 4.30 pm, meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8.55 am and 2.30 pm;
(2) the Bill shall be considered in the following order: Part 2, Part 1, Part 3 and Part 4 (in each case including related Schedules, New Clauses and New Schedules, with each Schedule being taken immediately after the Clause which introduces it);
(3) proceedings on the Bill (so far as not previously concluded) shall be brought to a conclusion at 5.00 pm on Thursday 13th February 2003.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mrs. Roe, and it is also a pleasure to consider this topic under your chairmanship again. [Hon. Members: ''Hear, hear.''] Opposition Members' applause may not have been quite so loud for that, but I am sure that they agree.
The resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee deals with the Committee's sittings and the order in which we will consider the Bill. A number of members of the Committee have asked for a general debate today before we start the line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill and the consideration of amendments. In the Sub-Committee, it was pointed out that although it is possible to table amendments during the recess, opportunities to do so are limited. Allowing two extra days before we come to the amendments will be to the Committee's advantage, and I am grateful to you, Mrs. Roe, and to other members of the Sub-Committee, for agreeing to it.