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Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Bill

I can reassure the House that, given the very short time available for this debate, I am about to make the shortest speech that I have ever made in the five years for which I have had the honour to serve in the House. The right hon. Member for Swansea, West(Mr. Williams) and the Minister have given ample justification for the withdrawal of new clause 1 and the associated amendments. If the new clause were accepted, it would effectively negate the Bill. The vast majority of incidents that the emergency services attend are on, or involve, private property, so the Bill would be unworkable if so amended. The right hon. Gentleman deserves great credit for getting the Bill through to this stage. Members in all parts of the House expressed support for it in Committee and on Second Reading, and I hope that we can make very rapid progress in the few minutes left.