Policing and Crime Bill

The programme motion that we are faced with is outrageous—there is no other word to describe it. It is not as though it is the first time that such a motion has been tabled and it is a one-off—it happens time and again. I put it to the Government that they do not understand how important Report stage is for the scrutiny of legislation. It is the only opportunity for Back Benchers who did not serve on the Public Bill Committee to debate with Ministers about the provisions in the Bill. What is the point of their speaking on Second Reading—particularly Government Members who do not agree with the Government and therefore talk themselves off the Committee—if they do not then have the chance to express their concerns on Report? It is the only real chance for Back Benchers' amendments to be promoted, but the opportunity to debate several cross-party Back-Bench new clauses and amendments will be stifled by today's motion. It is the only opportunity for Select Committee members—particularly their Chairmen, who are generally not on Public Bill Committees—to participate in detailed debate. We want to hear the views of the right hon. Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz), who has so much experience to offer this debate, and those of the Home Affairs Committee, which he chairs. The Joint Committee on Human Rights looks at every Bill with human rights implications and issues a report, and it is its job to ensure that that report is made available on Report in the first House. What is the point of its doing that when huge numbers of its recommendations—this is a cross-party, cross-House Bill—can never be debated on the Floor of this House because the Government's programme motion precludes the opportunity for even those groups of amendments to be reached?