I beg to move,

That the Committee shall meet—

(a) on Tuesdays at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., and

(b) on Thursdays at 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m., when the House is sitting.

I should like to take the opportunity to say a few brief words. May I begin by extending a warm welcome to you, Mr. Gale and to your co-Chairman, Mr. Illsley? We welcome the experience and knowledge of bothof you and we are confident that you will be able to guide us through the Committee ensuring that our deliberations are both thorough and to the point. We look forward to that. May I also welcome Mr. Doig to his role?

It has been a number of years since I last served on the Committee. I am delighted to be back. It is the first time for many years that the Paymaster General is unable to be with us because of a short period in hospital. She is now out of hospital and doing well. I am sure that the Committee will want me to send her its good wishes.

May I extend a warm welcome to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet who will lead for the Opposition  and to the members of her team, the hon. Members for Rayleigh and for Fareham and those who will be supporting them, particularly those who are servingon this Committee for the first time, including thehon. Member for Wycombe. [Hon. Members: “And for Bishop Auckland.”] It did occur to me to wonder why the numbers of our side of the Committee looked quite as large as they did on the initial list, but that has now been explained. I welcome the hon. Member for Wycombe to the Committee. May I also welcome the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne and her Liberal Democrat colleagues and the hon. Member for Dundee, East?

I am joined today and will be supported throughout these debates by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. I am delighted to see them here. I know that they will want to join me in welcoming my hon. Friends to this Committee.

Could I just put on record my thanks to the many advisers and representative bodies that have advisedus in significant ways on the Bill? We shall welcome further contributions from them as we scrutinise the Bill in greater depth over the coming weeks. I look forward very much to our debates as we fulfil together our duty in examining this Bill in Committee.