Thank you for allowing me to wind up the debate, Mr Sheridan. It gives me the opportunity to put on the record the fact that we have been joined by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), which is a very good effort on her part and evidence of how important the Government consider the debate.
We have also been joined by the Chief Whip, my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young). I would like to thank him for coming and encourage him to look, in the report of the debate, at the section in which we discussed progress within the House of Commons, particularly regarding unconscious bias training. There is no room for complacency, as terms and conditions for women in Parliament are not easy, with our long-hours culture and lack of maternity leave—certainly no adjustment leave, as was described. There is a good opportunity for
the Chief Whip and his Opposition counterpart, the right hon. Member for Doncaster Central (Ms Winterton), to take that forward.
I would like to thank all Members for making the effort to take part in the debate. I thank the hon. Gentlemen who attended and made interventions for their support. If I may set the record straight, a detailed Library brief was indeed provided for the debate, and it was authored by two men, Feargal McGuinness and Chris Rhodes, who deserve thanks for the detailed statistics that they made available to Members. I commend that brief to other Members present.
Finally, I would like to say how much we have enjoyed the presence of many young women who have come today as part of the programme organised by my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mary Macleod), with the encouragement of the Secretary of State. They have been allowed on this special day to see the workings of this Parliament. Shortly they will receive hospitality from Mr Speaker, and later from the Prime Minister at No. 10. We hope that they will go away as inspired as the Mars employee who went on to become the first female astronaut, as we heard today. On this special day, we celebrate her achievement, and the achievement of all women around the globe.
Question put and agreed to.
3.44 pm
Sitting adjourned.