Schedule 17
Finance Bill
6:45 pm
Edward Balls (Economic Secretary, HM Treasury; Normanton, Labour)
As I said, I am very happy to do so; indeed, I said that I would. I have always endeavoured to conduct myself with Opposition Committee members in a courteous and proper manner when it comes to how we go about these proceedings. It seems entirely appropriate that we should disagree on the politics; however, in my previous debates with the hon. Member for Rayleigh, I have always conducted myself in that courteous manner. Indeed, when the issue arose last week—I had had no knowledge of it until the Committee started—I said not only that if we had made a mistake we would apologise, but that I would shift us from negative to affirmative procedure to clear up the matter if that could be done in consultation with the business managers.
Obviously, like the hon. Gentleman, I am annoyed—to put it mildly—at the possibility that normal past procedures have not been followed. I shall look into that.