Alistair Burt (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative)

On a point of order, Mr. Benton, although I am grateful for the Minister’s good intentions in bringing to our attention the written statement that was laid before the House this morning, I must put on record my concern that something pertinent to the clauses that we are discussing has been produced half an hour after the Committee began its sitting, given that it could, presumably, have been produced at any time this week. This information is pertinent, as it refers to one of the amendments that I have tabled about the Thames Gateway. To produce it at half past 9 on the morning of our first sitting strikes me as most impertinent of the Department. I do not hold the Minister responsible. If he had not told us about it, we should not have known, but I wonder whether an adjournment would be in order, while we consider the matter and make the adjustments that we  need to make to the work we have to do in this morning’s sitting, so that we can start again this afternoon.

I thank the Minister for bringing the matter to our attention, but ask him to tell the Minister for Housing of my concern that something so important has appeared at this stage, when I see no reason why it could not have been dealt with yesterday, to give us much more notice and help us in our deliberation. Will he consider an hour’s adjournment of the Committee, so that we can consider the matter and get on with it this afternoon?

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