On a point of order, Mr Hood. May I make some concluding remarks, since we have reached the end of the Committee’s scrutiny?

First, I thank you for your ministrations in the Chair, and those of Mr Turner, who joined us for some of our deliberations. We have had the pleasure of Dr McCrea’s chairmanship during much of the Committee. He brought a degree of procedural precision exemplified in a magnificent speech that he made this afternoon, which has been praised as one of the finest he has ever made in Parliament, such was its attention to detail. Mr Bone, one of the original Chairs of the Committee, brought valuable experience of chairing other financial services Bills. He  is a particular stickler, we noted, and procedure on the passing of notes attracted his attention, rather as the conference between Whips has attracted yours, Mr Hood. I do not know what we have done to deserve such strict Chairs, but we have enjoyed it.

This has been an exceptionally enjoyable Committee. We have made good progress, and considered in detail all the amendments and new clauses—in less time than was allocated, or than we expected we would need. We learned a lot on the way. We have discovered, as hon. Members may recall from an earlier sitting, that my hon. Friend the Member for North East Somerset is contemplating going on Twitter. It is perhaps even more surprising that he has an alter ego who tweets on his behalf. We are still unpersuaded that he can be imitated.

Furthermore, during the progress of the Bill, there has been a distinct mellowing on the part of my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley. Today he proposed a cap on the market share that the banks should have. Some might think that a pretty rigorous approach to financial regulation, but they should reflect on some of his earlier remarks. I seem to remember from a previous sitting that he is on the record as calling for the electrocution of bankers. We are grateful that he has mellowed.

I am delighted to see the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun back in her place. Not only did she manage to extract commitments from me to consider carefully and positively some of her suggestions, but she achieved a record in persuading me to back one of the Opposition’s amendments. It is fair to point out that it consisted of a single word—but it was a very fine word indeed, and I am happy that I could back it.

The hon. Lady invited me—slightly mischievously, I think—to praise what she repeatedly referred to as “the institution”. Hon. Members will recall that she was referring to the EU this morning, but she thought that I was praising the institution, and was saying what a good one it is. With deference to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle, who has recently married, I will reflect only on Groucho Marx’s comment that marriage is a wonderful institution—but who the hell would want to live in an institution? I think that that applies to the institution that the hon. Lady mentioned.

The Committee has been enjoyable and has made good progress. We have had serious discussions and given the Bill good scrutiny. Amendments have been tabled from both sides, and at various times the Front Benchers were channelling the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards. From time to time the hon. Member for Nottingham East, and even the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, were the representatives on earth—or at least in Committee—of my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester. We are grateful for their work in informing our discussion.

Like you, Mr Hood, I thank the Committee Clerks for their good advice and patience throughout the Committee. I thank my changing retinue of officials, who have not been too furious or bundled me away when I have failed to follow their advice and substituted  my own speaking notes for those that they urge on me, entitled “Resist.” I am afraid that I have resisted their advice to resist.

I would like to thank the Hansard reporters for their work in transcribing the debates, and the Doorkeepers, who have had an important role to play and have occasionally been indulgent. At a couple of points I think that the alacrity with which we have made progress through the Bill has caught short some members of the Committee, including my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West, who just managed to get through the door as it was closing. I think that the hon. Member for Telford had to apply for temporary membership of the Social Democratic and Labour party when he made the approach today.

It has been a great pleasure to participate in this Committee. I look forward to coming before the House on Report and Third Reading, and, once again, I am grateful to all Members for their contributions.