Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

I appreciate your wisdom in this matter, Mr Gale. I was speaking in prelude to that discussion, and I wished to point out that, on Second Reading, the Minister said that if the Bill were to go into Committee, he looked forward to working constructively with me to improve it. In addition, the hon. Member for Rhondda said that if the Bill passed its Second Reading, the Opposition would wish to scrutinise it robustly and seek to amend it. As the hon. Gentleman noted earlier, no one has tabled any amendments. I suggest that before we discuss clause 1—

On a point of order, Mr Gale. I thought that we were discussing clause 1 now.

Technically, the hon. Gentleman is right. It is a formality and I have proposed the question on clause 1. The hon. Lady has the floor and if she wishes to make a proposition to the Committee in the course of her remarks, she may do so.

I am not questioning your view, Mr Gale, but I would like some clarity. I presume that it would now not be possible to table any amendments to clause 1 as we have started consideration of it.

That rather depends on what happens in the next few minutes, and I cannot advise on that at this stage. It would not be possible, were the Committee to continue to sit, to table amendments to clause 1 for debate this morning unless the Chair decided to take a manuscript amendment. But that is hypothetical, because no manuscript amendment has been submitted to me.  I cannot adjudicate on something that has not happened. We have to let the hon. Lady have her say and see where we go from there. Leave it in my safe hands.

Probably the safest thing that I can do now is seek to adjourn the Committee.

I beg to move, That the debate be now adjourned.

Question put and agreed to.

Adjourned till Wednesday 27 April at half-past Nine o’clock.