(Except clauses 11, 18, 40, 43, 44 and 69 and schedule 8)
Finance Bill
10:30 am
Dawn Primarolo (Paymaster General, HM Treasury; Bristol South, Labour)
I beg to move,
That, during the proceedings on the Finance Bill (except Clauses 11, 18, 40, 43, 44 and 69 and Schedule 8), the Committee do meet at half-past Ten o'clock and half-past Four o'clock on Tuesdays and quarter-past Nine o'clock and Two o'clock on Thursdays when the House is sitting.
On behalf of the Committee, I extend a warm welcome to you, Sir Nicholas, and to your co-Chairman, Mr. Cook, as you assume your responsibilities at the commencement of our proceedings. You and Mr. Cook are knowledgeable and experienced Chairmen and you have both served on Finance Bill Committees in the past. We all welcome your expertise and have no doubt that you will ensure that our deliberations are thorough, yet to the point.
I also extend a warm welcome to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), who will lead for the Opposition in Committee, and to the members of his team, the hon. Members for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Field), for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) and for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois), and their hon. Friends who will support them.
I look forward to the opportunity to debate the Bill with the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) and his Liberal Democrat colleagues, the hon. Members for Richmond Park (Susan Kramer) and for Bristol, West (Stephen Williams). I believe that this is their first Finance Bill and I have no doubt that they will find it an enjoyable experience.
I am joined today and will be supported throughout the debates by my hon. Friends, the Financial Secretary and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. I know that they join me in welcoming my hon. Friends to the Committee. Although we will be discussing the Bill for only a few weeks—perhaps we are fortunate to be discussing a Bill that has fewer clauses than usual—I am reassured that they will give due diligence to our duty of examining the legislation. I look forward to our debates.