Planning and Infrastructure Bill (Twelfth sitting)

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Committee stage
Tuesday 20th May 2025 Public Bill Committees

[The Chair]

I am sorry, but I have had no instruction about that. There has been no mention of it.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Michael Shanks)]

I am standing in as both Energy Minister and a Whip, Ms Jardine. As far as I know, the assumption was that we would have made speedier progress on various clauses today, and might have concluded line-by-line scrutiny by 4 pm. I do not think it was agreed that we would adjourn at 4 pm, but I am not party to any of those conversations, so I am afraid I cannot help. I think all other hon. Members have 5 pm in their diaries—and, given the lack of progress that we have made, we probably should proceed.

[David Simmonds]

Further to that point of order, Ms Jardine, I accept that it was a discussion between me, as the Opposition Whip, and the Labour Whip yesterday, which is the usual channel through which times are agreed. That being the case, and in her absence, I will not move the adjournment, in order to enable the Committee to proceed. However, I respect that hon. Members may have to leave—including me, because I have built my diary around that agreement and I have childcare responsibilities.

[The Chair]

To clarify, the Committee sits until the Government moves the adjournment, so it is entirely up to the Government as to what they wish to do.

[Michael Shanks]

In all our diaries, the session was from 2 pm until 5 pm. That is when the Government will adjourn.

[The Chair]

We will continue; I believe the hon. Member for North Herefordshire was speaking.