Consumer Credit Bill

With the leave of the House, I wish to respond to what has been an excellent debate. Ministers often say that it has been an interesting and excellent debate, but do not really mean it. However, I can say wholeheartedly that this has been an excellent debate. We have had 16 speeches and numerous interventions on the Front-Bench spokesmen from Members interested in a subject that affects all their constituents. That is an important point. The House is often criticised for not being relevant to the issues of the day that affect people’s lives, but I hope that the people who have watched the debate will know that all the Members involved, whatever position they take, are keenly aware of the issues surrounding consumer credit. I pay tribute to the maiden speeches that have been made by the hon. Members for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), for Basingstoke (Mrs. Miller), for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge), for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke) and for Hornchurch (James Brokenshire). They were quality speeches, and although I do not want the same things for the future of Conservative party as the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry) does, I know that the constituents of those Members will be well represented by the way in which they operate in the House in times to come. I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries and Galloway (Mr. Brown) on making a maiden speech, in the sense that his constituency’s boundaries have changed.