Sir Lindsay Hoyle

Before moving on, I want to announce the results of the Select Committee elections held earlier today. In the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee election, 463 votes were cast, of which three were invalid. There were 406 valid votes in the fifth round, excluding those ballot papers whose preference had been exhausted. The quota to be reached, therefore, was 204 votes. The hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Ms Oppong-Asare) was elected with 242 votes. In the Justice Committee election, 462 votes were cast, seven of which were invalid. There was a single round of counting, with 455 valid votes. The quota to be reached, therefore, was 228. |The hon. Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) was elected chair with 250 votes. In the Women and Equalities Committee election, 463 votes were cast, of which three were invalid. There were 421 valid votes. In the second round the quota to be reached was therefore 211. The hon. Member for Reading West and Mid Berkshire (Olivia Bailey) was elected with 213 votes. All three Chairs will take up their posts immediately. I congratulate them on their election and thank all who stood, and I thank the staff of the House who worked on these elections. The results of the counts were under the alternative vote system and will be made available as soon as possible in the Vote Office and on the internet. We now return to the business before the House.