My Lords, with the leave of the House, my noble friend Lord Drumalbyn will be making a Statement on the rail dispute at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m.

My Lords, may I take this opportunity to congratulate the Leader of the House on yet another new recruit to his Front Bench? He seems to be doing very well; but I should like to ask him whether he regards it as a first consequence of giving a Second Reading to the Anti-Discrimination Bill that the Conservative Party, for the first time, has a Baroness in Waiting? I should like to congratulate the noble Baroness in Waiting, who I know will contribute to our debates as well as considerably embellishing the Front Bench opposite.

My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition for his very generous comments on my noble friend's appointment, which I think I am not going too far in saying is probably welcomed all round your Lordships' House. However, I must inform the noble Lord opposite that, with the appointment of the noble Baroness, I have now shot my bolt.