Willie Rennie (Dunfermline & Fife West, Liberal Democrat)

I am grateful for the obedient manner in which the Committee has performed this morning. This is the style that I like—perhaps I should become the Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats to ensure discipline all round. I am grateful to Committee members for attending and for asking probing questions, which is only appropriate.

I thank the Minister, who is new to the Bill. I was working with his predecessor, the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick), who was delightful to work with. He was extremely supportive of the Bill and ensured that it got through the appropriate stages. I am delighted that the current Minister has quickly got up to speed with the Bill’s details; he performed very well this morning. Thank you, Mr. Wilshire, for your efficient chairmanship and thank you to the Committee.

Robert Goodwill (Shadow Minister, Transport; Scarborough & Whitby, Conservative)

All that I would add is, could the Minister pass the Committee’s thanks on to his officials in the Department? They have obviously had a lot of hard work going through the details to ensure that every i is dotted and every t is crossed. I also thank the previous Minister, the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town, who put in a lot of leg work on the Bill as well.

Paul Clark (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Gillingham, Labour)

Thank you, Mr. Wilshire, for your chairmanship today in expediting the Committee stage of what is an important Bill for constituents across the length and breadth of the country. I congratulate the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife on his hard work and persistence in pursuing the issue on his constituents’ behalf. I would like to put on record our thanks to Lesley Anne Steele for coming forward and taking the steps that she has, which could not have been easy. The experience and the work of the hon. Gentleman has provided a Bill that will become an Act important for the protection of our constituents. I also thank my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Canning Town, who worked on the issue. As he handed over the baton he said that it was a worthwhile Bill and he had enjoyed working on it. I know that he will be pleased that it has gone through Committee. Finally, I thank the officials who have worked closely with the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife to make the legislation possible.

David Wilshire (Spelthorne, Conservative)

I thank hon. Members for the comments made. I thank our Clerk, who ensured that we did this properly. It was probably appropriate that I chair a Committee dealing with learner drivers because I am a learner Chairman, as you have noticed, and I am grateful to you all for accepting my shortcomings with good humour. I am sure that it is not only Mr. Knight I will see in the Smoking Room later.