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MR KAINE (11.40): I do not intend to speak at great length on this subject. I moved the adjournment of the debate on 11 May because it seemed that everybody wanted this inquiry but nobody wanted to undertake it. We were at something of an impasse; so I moved to defer the debate. It seems that nothing much has changed. Everybody still wants the inquiry but nobody wants to undertake it. We have only just changed the terms of reference of the Tourism Committee, and it would seem now that this is a matter that could reasonably be undertaken by that committee, which I chair. I think the issue would be resolved by this matter being referred to the Economic Development and Tourism Committee and I am happy to take it on. I think Mr Moore intends to amend his motion to provide for that. That will provide a solution as to where the inquiry is conducted, and I am happy with that outcome.

MR MOORE (11.41): I would like to move an amendment to the amendment put by Ms Follett. Ms Follett in the initial debate on this said, “No, it is inappropriate for this reference to go to the Public Accounts Committee; it should go to the Planning and Environment Committee”. Largely, her arguments were based on the fact that the Planning and Environment Committee looks after economic development. Thanks to a vote of the Assembly, it is now the new Committee on Economic Development and Tourism that deals with the issue of economic development, so it seems most appropriate to take the spirit of what Ms Follett was saying and amend her amendment by omitting “Public Accounts” and inserting “Economic Development and Tourism”.

I think I have a drafting problem, Mr Speaker. What I need to do is omit not “Public Accounts” but “Planning and Environment”, if I can change that and circulate a different version. I move as an amendment to Ms Follett’s amendment:

Omit “Planning and Environment”, substitute “Economic Development and Tourism”.

Mr Speaker, that was not done correctly because originally I was going to amend the whole motion rather than amend the amendment. I think this is a more efficient way to do it.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, you can speak again, bearing in mind that you are speaking to Mr Moore's amendment.

MR BERRY (11.43): That is understood, Mr Speaker. It is worth noting that Mr Moore is seeking to send the issue of taxis off to a committee other than his own. The interesting part about this is that this was an issue of extreme interest to Mr Moore before the last election, and I wonder why he has lost interest in it. It seems to me that it would have been most appropriate for Mr Moore to have had carriage of this matter, given that it was of interest to him. I heard Mrs Carnell say that it is very important that people who are interested in these matters should be considering them. Perhaps Mr Moore sees the dangers of chairing a committee that looks at this particular issue and would rather see it looked after by somebody more hardy on these issues, like Mr Kaine. This is a flick pass, an attempted hospital pass even, methinks, and that needs to be noted.

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