Clause 78 - Validity of strategies, plans and documents
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill
4:45 pm
Mrs Barbara Roche (Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Hornsey and Wood Green, Labour)
On a point of order, Mr. Pike. This is a slightly unusual procedure, but it is nearly 5 o'clock and I think that the Committee did not want the occasion to pass without thanking you and Mr. Amess for the able way in which you have presided over our proceedings. Sadly, it is only this afternoon that I have had the pleasure of serving under your chairmanship, but the sitting has been conducted, like those chaired by Mr. Amess, in an extremely good-humoured way. We are grateful.
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the able way in which he spoke for the Government on most of the Bill. From what he tells me, many good and enjoyable debates have been conducted in a robust manner, but with good spirits.
I also thank the Clerk, the Hansard writers and my officials for their contribution—and, of course, all the Opposition Members.