Employment Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
John Bercow (Buckingham, Conservative)
Before we begin, I have a few preliminary announcements. When I am in the Chair, right hon. and hon. Members may, if they wish, remove their jackets. Mr. Caton, my co-Chairman, will take his own view, and I am sure that he will inform you of that. Please ensure that all mobile phones, pagers and other such devices are turned off or switched to silent mode during Committee sittings.
There is a Ways and Means resolution in connection with the Bill, and copies are available in the room. I remind hon. Members that adequate notice should be given of amendments. As a general rule, my fellow Chairman and I do not intend to call starred amendments, including any that might be reached during an afternoon sitting.
The Committee will first be asked to consider the programme motion, on which debate is limited to half an hour. We will then proceed to a motion to report written evidence, which I hope we can take formally before we start clause by clause scrutiny.