Vera Baird (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Redcar, Labour)

On a point of order, Mrs. Humble. I thank all parties for the way in which the Bill has been perused, probed and improved and for how our understanding of its import has been broadened and deepened by the deliberations of the Committee. I thank you, Mrs. Humble, and, in his absence, Mr. Bercow, for the very pleasant and fair way in which you have chaired our proceedings. I also thank your Clerk. I have served on Committees on which he has clerked before. His advice is matchless; he is an immense asset. We would be in great difficulty if we did not have such an expert person with us.

I thank the officials, who have helped me greatly with the Bill. I also thank the Hansard writers and the officials who have looked after the doors. Mercifully, they have not been required to go out and shout “Division” often, because we have been able to agree on a Bill that had already been substantially improved in the other place.

I have enjoyed taking my first Bill through Committee. I have been accused of being trendy, but it was said that the Bill was not sexy and it was suggested that I should design a uniform for bailiffs. Presumably it was a case of giving me any job that stopped me talking about the Bill. I joke, of course, because the exchanges have been in the main very pleasant and very helpful.

I thank very much the hon. Member for North-West Norfolk for the attention that he has given to the Bill. It has been good to have the company of the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey. I thank all my hon. Friends for their diligent following of the issues raised in Committee and I thank Opposition Members for the attention that they have paid to the issues. It is a better Bill for our deliberations and I am very grateful indeed to all who have played a role.

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