[Jim Sheridan in the Chair]

I will begin with some normal housekeeping rules; telephones should be either off or on silent and there should be no teas, coffees and so on.

Before we begin line-by-line consideration of the Bill, a brief explanation may be useful to those new to Public Bill Committees, which might include all of us. The selection list for today’s sitting is available in the room and shows how the amendments that have been selected have been grouped together for debate. Amendments grouped together are generally on the same or similar issues. A Member who has put their name to the leading amendment in a group is called first. Other Members are then free to catch my eye to speak to the amendments in the group. A Member may speak more than once in a single debate. At the end of a debate on a group of amendments I will call the Member who moved the lead amendment again. Before they sit down they will need to indicate whether they wish to seek to withdraw the amendment or seek a decision. If any Member wishes to press any other amendment in a group to a vote, they need to let me know. I will work on the assumption that the Government wish the Committee to reach a decision on all Government amendments.

Where it is not already indicated on the selection list, I will use my discretion to decide whether to allow a separate stand part debate on individual clauses and schedules following the debates on the relevant amendments. I hope that is helpful.