Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill
10:30 am
Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield, Conservative)
I am not responsible for what the Minister may say to a Select Committee. However, I am sure that the Minister has heard those remarks, and he may wish to comment. I suggest that he does so when we deal with the programme motion. The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue that is of relevance to our debates. I hope that the Minister will take on board what has been said.
There seems to be some confusion. The Treasury ministerial team should be sitting on my right, but it is not. I hope that this will be a well-administered and constructive Committee, so I suggest that those in the ministerial team take their seats. This is abnormal; in all the years during which I have been a member of the Chairmen’s Panel, it has never before happened that the ministerial team has not been present at the appropriate time.
I welcome all Members to what will clearly be an important Standing Committee. The Bill has raised a great deal of interest not only in Parliament but in the country. If the Programming Sub-Committee, which met last night, is indicative of what is going to happen, I am sure that our debates will be good, ordered and disciplined, and I hope that Members on both sides of the Committee will participate.
We now come to the programme motion, which may be debated for up to half an hour.