[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair]

I welcome you all, particularly the independent side of the Committee as this is a Back-Bench Bill. I have a few domestic announcements. Members of the Committee may, if they wish, take off their jackets to ensure that they are comfortable; I have no objection to that. Could hon. Members also ensure that mobile telephones, electronic devices, pagers and so on are either turned off or switched to silent mode during the sitting?

There are no amendments to the Bill. We will move straight to Clause stand part debates on each clause if the Committee wishes to debate them. May I give a little piece of advice to the Committee? Another private Member’s Bill is being debated in an adjoining Committee Room, so, if this Bill is to make progress, it would be helpful if we finished before the other Committee. I give that advice merely because I think that I am permitted to say from the Chair that this is an uncontroversial Bill that has widespread support. I repeat that, if we complete our deliberations quickly, this Bill will get the first Friday slot. I understand that the right hon. Member for Croydon, North, who is presenting the Bill, wishes to take it forward to the remaining stages. May I also suggest that we have a general debate on clause 1? I would be happy to allow it to range slightly wider than normal and perhaps we can then agree that the other clauses should stand part of the Bill without any debate.