My Lords, it may be helpful to the House if I say a few words about the expected timing of Prorogation today. At the close of business, this House will adjourn until 8.15 pm to allow the other place to complete its business. It is expected that Prorogation will begin when the House resumes at 8.15 pm.

Before Prorogation brings the current Session to a close later today, it may also be helpful if I set out how we intend to proceed on the Banking Bill in the next Session. As your Lordships may know, the other place is considering the Banking Bill today and that Bill will be carried over in the other place to the next Session. In order to make progress towards achieving Royal Assent for the Bill by 20 February next year, when certain provisions of the Banking (Special Provisions) Act will expire, the usual channels have agreed to the introduction of a Banking (No. 2) Bill in this House after State Opening. This House will take the Second Reading of the Banking (No. 2) Bill on Tuesday, 16 December, which will allow the Committee stage to begin after the Christmas Recess.

The text of the Banking (No. 2) Bill is expected to be the same as the Bill that will arrive from the other place in due course in the next Session. If, as expected, the Banking Bill is brought from the other place in the next Session, it will, as usual, have its First Reading, and the Second Reading will be taken formally. Further proceedings in this House will then take place on the Bill brought from the Commons, and the Banking (No. 2) Bill will be dropped. This has been agreed by the usual channels to provide as much time as possible for your Lordships' House properly to exercise its scrutiny function in respect of the Bill.

My Lords, this channel is not overflowing with euphoria about that statement. We are very happy to try to achieve the objective date of 20 February 2009 but, as the Chief Whip knows, we made it clear that our lead spokesperson on this Bill would not be available on the appointed day of Tuesday, 16 December. That notice was given a long time ago but hardly any effort, if any, has been made to accommodate us. I appeal for genuine and proper co-operation and wish for the usual channels to work.

My Lords, I have always thought that the usual channels work rather well, and I hope to have long and co-operative discussions with all the parties to them. I am sorry that the noble Lord feels that he has the fuzzy end of the lollipop or the rough end of the stick on this occasion but we all have to engage in a bit of give and take. I encourage the House to continue with that tradition.