New Clause 5
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [Lords]
12:45 pm
Henry Bellingham (Shadow Minister, Constitutional Affairs; North West Norfolk, Conservative)
Further to that point of order, Mrs. Humble. I endorse the Minister’s thanks, particularly to you and to Mr. Bercow, and to the senior Clerk and to his deputy, Dr. Weston, who has also been very helpful. I thank everyone who has been involved with the Committee for the very efficient way in which it has been managed. We all know that such Committees would not run smoothly if it was not for the officials who lay out the papers and attend to our every need. I also thank the police, who attend to the doors and ensure that everything goes smoothly.
I agree that this has been a good-humoured Committee. We have had plenty of time to debate the issues and I am very grateful to the usual channels for ensuring that time to debate the issues has been made available. I do not think that anyone can complain that we have not had that time. I agree with the Minister that we are now more knowledgeable about the Bill. Opposition Members are disappointed that we have not secured all the changes that we would like, but of course we reserve the right to return to the relevant issues on Report.
I am very grateful to the various organisations outside the House that have kept Opposition Front Benchers fully briefed and informed. We do not have the resource and the huge intellectual capacity of the civil service to brief us, but we are privileged and fortunate to have many outside organisations that take a great interest in these matters and they take every opportunity to ensure that we can table amendments and speak to them. I am grateful to those organisations for that and I look forward to returning to the Bill on Report. I also look forward to perhaps serving under your chairmanship again at some stage in the future, Mrs. Humble.