[Ann Winterton in the Chair]

I wish the Committee good morning, in spite of the fact that it is not a very good one. Before we proceed, may I make it clear that it is in order for hon. Gentlemen to remove their jackets, although I see that someone in the Committee has rather taken that for granted? I will be grateful if, in future, hon. Members would realise that permission should be given.

First, I remind hon. Members that adequate notice should be given of amendments. As a general rule, I do not intend to call starred amendments. However, you will have noticed that because of a printing error, some amendments that were tabled in time for selection appear as starred. Secondly, hon. Members are notified that there is a money resolution and a Ways and Means resolution relating to the Bill, copies of which are available in the room.

I beg to move,

That if proceedings on the Crossrail Bill are not completed at this day’s sitting, the Committee do meet—

(a) on Thursdays when the House is sitting at 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m., and

(b) on Tuesdays when the House is sitting at 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.

I welcome you to the Chair, Lady Winterton. I am sure that it will be a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the length of this Committee. Although I have served on many Public Bill Committees, this is the first that I have led on behalf of the Government. In that respect, I am something of a Public Bill Committee virgin. I trust that you will be gentle with me in the sittings ahead.

I also welcome all hon. Members to the Committee. I particularly welcome the hon. Member for Northampton, South and my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, South who were members of the Crossrail Select Committee and whose agreement to serve on this Committee says a great deal about their personal courage and their devotion to this subject. If in future we see them on “Celebrity Mastermind”, I suspect that we know what their specialist subject will be.

The motion will allow the Committee to meet at 10.30 am and 4 pm on Tuesdays and 9 am and 1 pm on Thursdays. The order of consideration will allow for the consideration of schedules immediately after the consideration of the relevant clauses. For example, schedule 1 will be considered immediately after clause 1. I am sure that no hon. Member wishes to see the Bill unnecessarily delayed. Bearing in mind that it has already been the subject of 21 months of Select Committee  scrutiny, to which some hon. Members present can attest, I confirm that the Government are happy to offer however much time is required for consideration by this Committee.

Copies of my recent letters relating to the Bill and in some cases to the project itself are available from the table in the centre of the room.

Following the Minister, I wish to welcome you to the Chair, Lady Winterton. We look forward very much to serving under your chairmanship. I echo the welcome to all members of the Committee given by the Minister and suspect that all hon. Members present want to see the Bill passed speedily through its Committee stage. None the less, there is some scrutiny to do and Conservative Members look forward to taking part in the debates in whatever number of sittings is required. We support the sittings motion and look forward to getting on to the business of the day.

I echo the sentiments that have been expressed by other hon. Members, but do not want to take up the Committee’s time. I also echo the thanks to the Select Committee, which has done a great deal of work on the Bill. What is left to do is relatively limited, thank goodness.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That proceedings on the Bill be taken in the following order, namely, Clause 1; Schedule 1; Clause 2; Schedule 2; Clause 3; Schedule 3; Clause 4; Schedule 4; Clause 5; Schedule 5; Clause 6; Schedule 6; Clauses 7 to 10; Schedule 7; Clauses 11 to 15; Schedule 8; Clause 16; Schedule 9; Clause 17; Schedule 10; Clauses 18 to 45; Schedule 11; Clause 46; Schedule 12; Clauses 47 and 48; Schedule 13; Clause 49; Schedule 14; Clauses 50 to 57; Schedule 15; Clause 58; Schedule 16; Clauses 59 to 66; new Clauses, new Schedules, remaining proceedings on the Bill.—[Mr. Harris.]