Further to that point of order, Sir Roger. It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Gentleman. I want to say some things about substance and some things about style—as Gramsci said, by the way, those two things are inseparable.

On substance, it is right to say that this Committee has been serious but good humoured. Is it not odd how often people outside the House—constituents and friends—ask how legislation is formed? It is surprising that people ask that question, given that these Committees, after all, are held in public; none the less, they do. They will know if they watch the proceedings of the Committee or if they read the record of it in Hansard that legislation is formed on the basis of a proper discourse—a discourse that helps Government to hone their thinking through the argument that originates in these Committees. That is precisely what has happened on this occasion. There are matters to take further, and I have committed to do so, before and on Report. That is thanks to the contribution of Members across the Committee, and I am grateful to them for that.

On style, that has been defined by many people—by you, Sir Roger, and Mr Hood. You have exercised your immense power over us with a delicacy and generosity for which you are well known. The civil servants, the staff of the House and the staff of Members have provided and equipped us with the good arguments that we have imperfectly articulated. The members of the Committee have come here diligently, often to listen to me for immense lengths of time, which I regard as a pleasure, although they may not, and I am big enough to know that. There was a moment when my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry described me as precious, but, disappointingly—as I had hoped he would describe me as a shining and smooth pearl—he said that I was a rough gem. I had always thought I was so smooth, but now I know that I am really just rough.

I know the shadow Ministers well and offer them thanks, because they have been immensely diligent in their scrutiny of the Bill—as, by the way, I anticipated they would be, as I have known them all for a number of years. I offer thanks to my colleagues on the Government Benches, particularly my hon. Friends the Members for Bristol West and for Hastings and Rye, who shared the burden of representing the Government’s interests with immense style. I thank the Whips, to whom, rather like God, we are in the end all answerable, for their smooth and sophisticated—[Interruption.] What people forget is that when I was a Whip I used to pass these notes. Let me just tear it up. [Laughter.] There.

And finally, I want to draw on three literary sources, or one political and two literary. I spend a good deal of my life late at night either listening to Miles Davies, as I did last night, or reading Proust, as I did afterwards. Proust said:

“We must never be afraid to go too far, for truth lies beyond.”

The Government’s job is to push forward, and to bring to the House legislation that makes a difference. That is what we have tried to do with this Bill.

Members will not be surprised that next I am going to quote Disraeli, who said that

“all power is a trust; that we are accountable for its exercise; that from the people and for the people all springs, and all must exist.”

Challenged to do so by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield, I end with the bard himself—I offer thanks for this to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon, who provided it to me just a few moments ago. Let us go from this place in this spirit. See me, but imagine, if you will, Olivier:

“God, if thy will be so.

Enrich the time to come with…smiling plenty and fair prosperous days!”