Clause 6
Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Bill
12:00 pm
Tom Harris (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Glasgow South, Labour)
I hope that I have my timing right, Mr. Atkinson. During debate on the Crossrail Bill, I tried three times unsuccessfully to offer a vote of thanks to you as the Chair. It has been a short but delightful experience to serve under your chairmanship. The Bill may go down in history as having undergone one of the shortest periods of Committee scrutiny. It is probably equivalent in length to some delegated legislation Committees on which I have served. That is certainly due at least in part to you, Mr. Atkinson.
I also thank your Clerk, of whom I had experience when I was a member of the Select Committee on Science and Technology. He is a fine chap, and I am sure that he has done an excellent job for you. I also thank the Hansard reporters, the Doorkeepers, the police officers, my own officials, who have done an outstanding job, and my private secretary, Sandra St. Louis. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Wimbledon and the hon. Member for Richmond Park for adopting a very healthy bipartisan and constructive approach. Finally, as I forgot to do so last week, I must thank members of my own party on the Committee. I am grateful to them all for their sterling and reliable support during this very brief sitting.