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Draft Financial Services Bill (Joint Committee)

Without wanting to be diverted by my right hon. Friend, I certainly do agree with the hon. Gentleman about defence expenditure and the shambles that this Government are making of defence, but I shall not digress on that. It is important that we get this right, so I do not think that having 1 December is right. The hon. Gentleman is right that the Committee will change the date if it wishes. We must look at what is being put forward. The motion states that the Committee shall have five powers:"““to send for persons, papers and records; to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to report from time to time; to appoint special advisers; and to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom.””" I will go through each of those because they are relevant to the work of the Committee. On the power to send for persons, papers and records—