Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Bill [Lords] (Programme)

House of Commons, 7 March 2006.

Stephen Ladyman (Labour, South Thanet)

I beg to move,

That the Order of 25th January 2006 (Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Bill [Lords] (Programme)) be varied as follows:

1. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Order shall be omitted.

2. Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion two hours after the commencement of proceedings on the motion for this Order.

Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the motion for this Order.

Given the expedient way that we dealt with this Bill in Committee, I have no doubt that we can do equally well in the two hours that we have allowed for the small number of amendments selected, and the hour for Third Reading.

Julian Brazier (Conservative, Canterbury)

I share the Minister's confidence, but want to put on the record that it is an extraordinary testimony to the Government's control-freak tendencies that we should have a programme motion when there is so little business to get through. However, I do not oppose it.

Question put and agreed to.