[Sir Edward Leigh in the Chair]

Obviously, this will be a short sitting. To my knowledge, the timing for the Bill Committee has been changed three times. I do not know whether that is down to the Minister’s office, but I consider it disrespectful to the House and the Panel of Chairs. I appreciate that civil servants are sometimes not fully aware of the courtesies of the House of Commons, but the House of Commons comes first. I am minded to write to the Speaker; I have already raised this issue with the Deputy Speaker. Ministers and civil servants have to realise that these Committees are not about the convenience of Ministers but about the convenience of Parliament.

We now proceed to the Bill. I understand that Mr Davis does not wish to move his amendments. If that is acceptable to the Committee, we can proceed to the debate on clause 1.