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Daylight Saving Bill

I will not detain the House for long, Mr Deputy Speaker. We have had a long debate already on this group of amendments and I am conscious that a closure motion has already been moved, but I want to deal with some specific amendments in this group. Before I do so, let me reiterate the thanks I expressed to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Rebecca Harris) when the House considered the money resolution. She has shown exemplary courtesy and great determination to ensure that the Bill got to this stage. As I said in that debate, although I did not vote to curtail debate on Second Reading, I supported the Bill on Second Reading and I intend to vote today for amendments that will strengthen the Bill and help it to achieve its objectives. I appreciate that many people would like a trial to take place and I take cognisance of that regardless of my personal views about whether it is a good or bad thing permanently to change the time in this country. Leaving aside for the moment lead amendment 13, because my hon. Friend the Member for Argyll and Bute (Mr Reid) has indicated that he is prepared to accept what the Minister has said about it, I hope that we will be given the opportunity to divide on amendment 30. At a time when the whole question of Scottish independence is rising up the political agenda in a way that it never has before, some of the Bill's provisions seem somewhat perverse. I can well imagine separatists in Scotland seizing on clause 4(4), which clearly treats Scotland, and indeed Wales, differently to Northern Ireland. I see no reason why we should not accept amendment 30 so that agreement is required from the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales.