Before we begin, I would like to make a few preliminary announcements. Members may, if they wish, remove their jackets during Committee sittings, but they need to ensure that their mobile phones and pagers are turned off or switched to silent mode. As a general rule, I and my fellow Chair do not intend to call starred amendments that have not been tabled with adequate notice. The required notice period in Public Bill Committees is three working days, and amendments should therefore be tabled by the rise of the House on a Monday for consideration on a Thursday, and by the rise of the House on a Thursday for consideration on a Tuesday. There is a money resolution in connection with the Bill, copies of which are available in the room.

Not everyone is familiar with the process of Public Bill Committees, so I will give a brief explanation of how we will proceed. The Committee will first be asked to consider the programme motion on the amendment paper, for which debate is limited to half an hour. We will then proceed to a motion to report written evidence, and then to line-by-line consideration of the Bill. I call the Minister to move the programme motion.