I thank Mr Carroll for giving way. As a Committee, we considered that and took significant legal advice. Our main point, as I mentioned in my speech, was that we wanted to maintain and uphold the importance of our vote in this place. We are not in COVID times now, so the decision was taken to limit proxy voting to very specific purposes that would have the most benefit and the quickest benefit in the House.

The Committee will look at long-term illness and other options for proxy voting in the future, but, for now, the Standing Order covers just parental leave at time of birth or when there are fostering responsibilities.