Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Cheryl Gillan (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Wales; Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)
May I add a warm welcome to you, Mrs. Dean? I believe that this is the first time that you have chaired a Standing Committee of this nature, and I am sure that all members of the Committee are united in hoping that you enjoy your chairmanship and in wishing you well. We hope that you go from strength to strength, and we shall try not to give you too much difficulty.
The Minister is right that the Opposition have no problem with the resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee. I should like, however, to offer the apologies of my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb), who is a member of the Committee and who cannot attend today. He has been chosen for a debate on police authority mergers in Westminster Hall, which coincides with our sitting. I am sure that all of us in the Committee would have liked the opportunity to speak on that subject and I am sad that the timing of the Bill’s examination in Committee has caused a problem for an Opposition Member, and possibly for others. I wanted to put that on record so that anyone who reads the transcript of our sitting will be able to note that, no matter how assiduous one is as a parliamentarian—as is the case with my hon. Friend—it is impossible to be in two places at once.
Having said that, and bearing in mind your admonition, Mrs. Dean, to keep introductory remarks on the Bill to stand part debate on clause 1, I have great pleasure in acceding to the programme motion.