Clause 17
Compensation Bill [Lords]
6:45 pm

Bridget Prentice (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Lewisham East, Labour)

On a point of order, Mr. Atkinson. May I thank you and Mr. Caton on behalf of all hon. Members for the efficient and positive way in which you conducted our affairs? We had good debates on protecting consumers and, in the first part of the Bill, volunteers.

I am grateful to all hon. Members, including the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire, who spoke on behalf of the official Opposition, and the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey, who spoke on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

I am particularly grateful to my hon. Friends, who have made excellent contributions throughout. As always, I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster), who has kept us all in appropriate order in terms of what we have had to say. However, we are particularly grateful to you, Mr. Atkinson, and I hope that you will express our gratitude to Mr. Caton.

Oliver Heald (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Assisted By Shadow Solicitor General), Constitutional Affairs; North East Hertfordshire, Conservative)

Further to that point of order, Mr. Atkinson. May I join in thanking you and Mr. Caton for acting as our Chairmen? I also thank the Minister for the courteous way in which she has dealt with matters. We never decided whether she had blossomed, but her approach has certainly been constructive.

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Upminster (Angela Watkinson), who has not only done the shadowy job of acting as the usual channels with her usual aplomb, but spoken from the Front Bench when I was absent for a period, and I congratulate her on that. I also congratulate all the other members of the Committee who have taken an active part in our proceedings.

Finally, I thank the Clerks, who have been extremely helpful, the attendants, the police and, of course, those who make sure that our comments are recorded.

Simon Hughes (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Attorney General, Constitutional Affairs; North Southwark and Bermondsey, Liberal Democrat)

Further to that point of order, Mr. Atkinson. My hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire and I thank you and your colleague for your chairmanship. My hon. Friend could not be with us this afternoon, but he associates himself with my thanks, and I am grateful to him for covering for me one morning when I could not be here for understandable reasons.

Like other colleagues, I am grateful to the Minister for her courteous response, and I hope that we shall learn the lessons of this Committee and use them to good effect at the next stage, which may not be long delayed.