Digital Economy Bill (Fourth sitting)

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Committee Debate: 4th sitting: House of Commons
Tuesday 18th October 2016 Public Bill Committees

[The Chair]

Colleagues, today we begin line-by-line consideration of the Bill. Before we start, I repeat that Members may, if they wish, remove their jackets during Committee meetings. Will everyone ensure that all electronic devices are turned off or switched to silent mode?

The selection list for today’s sitting is available in the room. It shows how selected amendments have been grouped together for debate. Amendments grouped together are generally on the same or similar issues. The 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 on all or any of the amendments in that group. A Member may speak more than once in a single debate, and I will work on the assumption that the Minister wishes the Committee to reach a decision on all Government amendments.

Please note that decisions on amendments do not take place in the order in which the amendments are debated, but in the order in which they appear on the amendment paper. In other words, debate occurs according to the selection and grouping list, and decisions are taken when we come to the clause that the amendment affects. I hope that explanation is helpful.

We are still waiting for Mr Hancock, but we will continue. I will use my discretion to decide whether to allow a separate stand part debate on individual clauses and schedules following debates on relevant amendments. [Interruption.] The Minister has arrived.

Ordered,

That the Order of the Committee of 11 October be amended as follows: in paragraph (1)(c), leave out the words “and 2.00 pm”.—(Matt Hancock.)

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

We have no objection to the change, although I hope the Minister is a bit more punctual in future and takes more note of what the programme motion says, since we are supposed to start at 9.25 am and he has just arrived at 9.27 am.

[The Chair]

Thank you. This is not a flying start, colleagues. I am sure we can up our game as we move on. There will be no meeting of the Committee this afternoon. The Committee will next meet on Thursday at 11.30 am.

Clause 1

Universal service broadband obligations