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Parliamentary Standards Act 2009

I beg to move amendment (a), to leave out from ““House”” to end and add"““thanks the Members' Expenses Committee for its First Report on the Operation of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, HC 1484; and refers it to IPSA to be considered as part of its Annual Review.””." It is not often that I rise in the House as the villain as the piece, and that was certainly not my intention. If I have in any way shown a lack of courtesy towards my Committee Chairman, I want to apologise in front of the House. There is not another Member who is more courteous to other Members, and his chairmanship of the Members' Expenses Committee was a model of courtesy. I apologise if my e-mail of this morning was slightly too late in arriving at his desk. I want to make it clear that I signed up to the report and support it, and that I have been astounded by the vilification in the press of the modest proposals made in it. However, it is important to point out that there are recommendations in it that need to be taken seriously and taken forward. During the course of yesterday, it became increasingly apparent that there was a real likelihood that a vote would be called on today's motion, and that it might be defeated.