Tim
Loughton: Further to that non-point of order,
Mr. Pope, I also add my thanks to you and Mr.
Williams for your unassuming, understanding and accommodating
chairmanship, which has allowed us perhaps to range slightly more
freely through some of the clauses. May I also thank—I was going
to thank the Minister but I am not entirely sure that I should now. One
would look even more of a twit if one was not wearing braces and
one’s trousers ended up around one’s ankles. That is
another matter, which I shall take up with my sort of hon. Friend the
Member for Rutland and Melton later in the
Lobby. We
have had a constructive debate on a universally welcomed Bill, which
has been improved by the debate in another place and by the
undertakings and discussions in this Committee. We have had some
disappointments and some anticlimaxes, although not quite of the
ejaculatory nature that the Minister suggested earlier. I also thank my
hon. Friends. It is always worthwhile being on a Committee where just
about every member contributes. In the past, there were times when like
muppets they sat there and, under strict instructions, said nothing.
There are some regular suspects—if I can put it that
way—on the Committee who have been very involved in
children’s legislation for many years, for almost as long as I
have, and they made valid contributions born out of their great
experience. I
give my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight. It was
good to see him back in Committee, making his first contribution since
his recent health problems. I also give my thanks to our Whip, my hon.
Friend the Member for Upminster. It is always good to have a talking
Whip—try stopping her, with her knowledge of this subject. I
thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove who has been with us on
children’s legislation before, and particularly my new hon.
Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich, who is no longer a Committee
virgin which is always a good hurdle to get
over. It
was almost frustrating that it was hard to find something to vote
on—but we did. However, on Report we might find more reasons to
vote. There is some time now for the Government to reflect on many of
the suggestions that were made in the Committee. They have undertaken
to look again at certain things. They have undertaken to reflect on
some of the debates that we have had on the guidance that will be
issued with this and accompanying legislation. I therefore look forward
to returning on Report, when we might have further progress to report
towards ensuring that the Bill is as good as we could possibly hope
for, to at last address the problems of some of the most vulnerable
people in our society, namely children in care. They have had a lousy
deal for some time, and I think that we all agree that the time has
finally come to give them the deal—the support and
services—that they so much
deserve.
Annette
Brooke: I would also like to add my thanks, particularly
to you, Mr. Pope, in the Chair. It has been obvious that you
are very interested in the material, and that has given an added
dimension. I thank Mr. Williams as well. I thank the Clerks
and everyone else who has contributed to our proceedings. I give
particular thanks to the Ministers, who have been very courteous,
receptive and perhaps responsive—we shall see on Report. I have
to say of the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham that I just
hope he does not have too many sneezing fits, particularly in
inappropriate
places. We
have had good debates, and I hope that we would all agree that it has
been a privilege to serve on the Committee considering this very
important Bill. The fact that so much work was done in the other place
has enabled us to deal with some of the outstanding issues in quite a
lot of detail. That has been a good thing. I just hope that we really
will change things for the better and make a difference with this
Bill.
The
Chairman: Thank you for those kind remarks and thank you
also for being a well behaved Committee, with the exception of the
debate on clause 1 stand part, when Mr. Brennan and
Mr. Loughton were very naughty boys—that is
particularly to be deprecated in front of an impressionable new
Member. Question
put and agreed
to. Bill,
as amended, to be
reported. Committee
rose at twenty-six minutes past Four
o’clock.
| 
