TABLE Proceedings Time for conclusion of proceedings Clauses 1 to 10, Schedule 1, Clauses 11 to 13, Schedule 2, Clause 14 11.25 a.m. on Thursday 22nd January Clauses 15 and 16, Schedule 3, Clause 17, Schedule 4, Clauses 18 to 20 5.00 p.m. on Tuesday 27th January Clauses 21 to 29, Schedule 5, Clauses 30 to 38, Schedule 6, Clauses 39 to 42, remaining proceedings on the Bill 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 29th January
Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Bill
9:30 am
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
I, too, welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Sayeed. I also welcome Mr. Illsley, in his absence. We do not have any qualms about the programme motion, not least because it was agreed with us all last night. As the Minister rightly said, there is probably plenty of time to deal with things.
The Bill is slightly unusual in that it involves little party politics and few issues of party principle. My colleagues and I come to consider the Bill with the interests of horse racing and the Olympics at heart, and we will address it in that context. Certainly, when it comes to the first two parts of the Bill, which relate to horse racing and which I shall handle on behalf of the Opposition, the purpose of most of our amendments, and of what I hope will be a sensible debate, will be to persuade the Government simply to include measures that they have already agreed verbally and made announcements about. There are one or two other issues of principle, which we shall come to in due course, but I want to stress that overall we welcome the Bill and want it to go forward. There are some areas where improvements could be made and I look forward to constructive consideration in Committee.