Arrangement of Business

Good afternoon, my Lords. If there is a Division in the Chamber while we are sitting, this Committee will adjourn as soon as the Division Bells are rung and resume after 10 minutes.

Before we start to debate the first group, I remind the Committee of the rules on declaring interests. Noble Lords should declare any relevant financial interest the first time they speak at each stage of a Bill. This means that, in Committee, a relevant financial interest should be declared during the first group on which a noble Lord speaks. Thereafter, the declaration does not need to be repeated in debate on later groups at this stage. Declarations should be specific and brief: Members should briefly indicate the nature of their financial interest and not simply refer to their entry in the Register of Lords’ Interests. I also remind noble Lords of the guidance in the Companion at paragraph 8.82: “when withdrawing amendments, noble Lords should be brief and need not respond to all the points made during the debate.”