Autism Bill

I entirely understand that that is what the hon. Lady envisages. At this point, let me congratulate her on introducing the Bill. She has done excellent work, and the very introduction of the Bill has focused the Government's mind on ensuring that concrete progress is made. I congratulate her, her team and everyone else who has been involved in that process. I also congratulate the chairman of the all-party group on autism, my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean), on the work that she and the group are doing. When the group was started, back in 2001, and I had the honour of being its first chairman, I found the degree of consensus among Members of both Houses and all parties and their willingness to co-operate very heart-warming. The all-party group has made tremendous progress as a result of that attitude. We would not have reached the present point without the efforts of that group and of all those involved in the campaign.