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Mr. Malins: I am grateful to the Minister for taking that point on board. It might have been better if we had given the Bill a different title right at the beginning but, having got so far, and having noted the Minister's interesting point about the second world war cards, I shall not press the amendment. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 45 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Schedule 2 agreed to.
The Chairman: Before I put the final Question to the Committee, on behalf of Janet Anderson and myself I would like to thank the Clerk, who has served our Committee extraordinarily efficiently, the staff of the Serjeant at Arms Department and the Official Report, and the police for ensuring that our proceedings were in order. We also thank members of the Committee and the usual channels for their co-operation with the Chairmen.
Mr. Malins: On a point of order, Mr. Conway. On behalf of Conservative Members, I pay a warm tribute to you and Ms Anderson for the charming, courteous and efficient way in which you have dealt with the Committee. It has genuinely been a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship and that of Ms Anderson.
As always, our thanks extend to Hansard, the Serjeant at Arms Department, the police and the Doorkeepers for their excellent and supportive work. I agree with you entirely, Mr. Conway, that we should give a particular mention to our excellent Clerk, Mr. Colin Lee, who could not have been more helpful to any Committee member who sought his advice on any technical matter. He has behaved magnificently.
I thank my right hon. and hon. Friends. My hon. Friend the Member for Cotswold and my right hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon are in their place. I thank them both for their contributions to the
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Committee, which has been a pleasant Committee most of the time. In fact, it has been fun in the sense that we have had some enjoyable and worthwhile debates. We have had our difficult moments, but on the other hand we have done our best to scrutinise the Bill.
The Minister has been unfailingly helpful and courteous to all of us, and I thank him warmly for his approach, which has been typical of his manner throughout his time in office so far. I thank the usual channels for their assistance to all of us.
Mr. Allan: Further to that point of order, Mr. Conway. I similarly extend the thanks of Liberal Democrat Members and the usual courtesies to all those who have assisted our proceedings, and particularly to you and Ms Anderson. As the hon. Member for Woking said, this Committee has been very enjoyable, although from our point of view a little too brief. We would have wished to spend a couple more happy weeks discussing the issues. That being said, it has been enjoyable. The Minister has responded very fully, and that has been helpful. We have a lot on the record from this Committee, and that will be useful.
The Minister has not yet entirely persuaded us of his point of view, but the Committee has been worth while in that it has done what it should: it has got on the record a significant extra degree of clarification about the details of the legislation. I thank again all those who served us so well.
6 pm
Mr. Browne: Further to that point of order, Mr. Conway. I want to associate myself with the sentiments expressed by the hon. Members for Woking and for Sheffield, Hallam. I will not detain the Committee, but I would fail in my duty if I did not say that, in my view, we have had a full, honest and open discussion, in an appropriate spirit, of an important Bill that will affect us all.
I had some differences with Opposition Committee members about the need for a programme motion, but I believe that it helped. It provided some discipline in the timetabling of our proceedings, and I would argue that we have been able to debate nearly all the 45 clauses and two schedules in some detail. However, there are issues to which we shall return on Report.
I should like to thank Opposition Committee members, in particular the hon. Members for Woking, for Newark and for Sheffield, Hallam, for their helpful probing amendments. I thank all Committee members for their contributions, and in particular my hon. Friends for their support throughout the proceedings. I have agreed to take some matters away to reflect on, and I have written two letters to you, Mr. Conway, to provide more detailed information for the benefit of all Committee members. If our proceedings today caused a need for a further letter, I shall send that post haste.
I also thank the Clerk, for his advice and support, the officials, Hansard, the Doorkeepers and the police, who have ensured that our proceedings have run smoothly. Without the support that we have in this
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House, it would be much more difficult to get through difficult proceedings, never mind at the pace at which we got through these.
Perhaps unusually, I should like to thank the Whips for the way in which they helped us reach the end of
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the Committee. Finally, I thank Ms Anderson and you, Mr. Conway, for your courtesy, unfailing understanding and the sense of humour with which you chaired the proceedings.
Bill, as amended, to be reported.
Committee rose at two minutes past Six o'clock.
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