Order of Business Monday 30 April 2012

+ indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.

House of Commons

Order of Business

At 2.30 pm Prayers

Afterwards

Private Business

Note: Private Business is not debated at this time, and may not be proceeded with if opposed.

The Chairman of Ways and Means

Canterbury City Council Bill: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the Canterbury City Council Bill be now considered.

That the promoters of the Canterbury City Council Bill, which was originally introduced in this House in Session 2007-08 on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Standing Order 188A (Suspension of Bills).

The Chairman of Ways and Means

Leeds City Council Bill: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the Leeds City Council Bill be now considered.

That the promoters of the Leeds City Council Bill, which was originally introduced in this House in Session 2007-08 on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Standing Order 188A (Suspension of Bills).

The Chairman of Ways and Means

Nottingham City Council Bill: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the Nottingham City Council Bill be now considered.

That the promoters of the Nottingham City Council Bill, which was originally introduced in this House in Session 2007-08 on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Standing Order 188A (Suspension of Bills).

The Chairman of Ways and Means

Reading Borough Council Bill: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the Reading Borough Council Bill be now considered.

That the promoters of the Reading Borough Council Bill, which was originally introduced in this House in Session 2007-08 on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Standing Order 188A (Suspension of Bills).

The Chairman of Ways and Means

City of London (Various Powers) Bill [Lords]: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the City of London (Various Powers) Bill [Lords] be now considered.

That this House concurs with the Lords in their Resolution.

The Chairman of Ways and Means

City of Westminster Bill [Lords]: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the City of Westminster Bill [Lords] be now considered.

That this House concurs with the Lords in their Resolution.

The Chairman of Ways and Means

Transport for London Bill [Lords]: That so much of the Lords Message [23 April] as relates to the Transport for London Bill [Lords] be now considered.

That this House concurs with the Lords in their Resolution.

Afterwards

Notes:   indicates a question for oral answer.

[R] indicates that the Member has declared a relevant interest.

Questions for oral answer not reached receive a written answer

Supplementary questions will also be asked. Other Ministers may also answer.

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

 1 Guy Opperman (Hexham): What steps he is taking to promote the refurbishment of empty and vacant homes in Northumberland. (105713)

 2 Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of funding reductions on the operational activities of fire and rescue services. (105714)

 3 Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of council tax benefit localisation on low-income families. (105715)

 4 Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of funding reductions on the operational activities of fire and rescue services. (105716)

 5 Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of funding reductions on the operational activities of fire and rescue services. (105717)

 6 Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West): What steps he is taking to devolve political power to cities. (105718)

 7 Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): What steps he is taking to simplify the regulation of private landlords. (105719)

 8 Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire): What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on whether a precedent exists for a property bond to be established for homeowners whose properties are affected by High Speed 2. (105720)

 9 Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): What recent discussions he has had on funding for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority. (105721)

 10 Lorraine Fullbrook (South Ribble): What steps his Department is taking to support local high streets. (105723)

 11 Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston): What recent assessment he has made of the rate of house building. (105724)

 12 Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth): What recent assessment he has made of the rate of house building. (105725)

 13 Grahame M. Morris (Easington): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of funding reductions on the operational activities of fire and rescue services. (105726)

 14 Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): What his policy is on taking localism further towards independence of local government. (105727)

 15 Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): What contribution to economic growth he expects his planning reforms to deliver. (105728)

 16 Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry): What criteria he uses when calling in or recovering planning applications; and if he will make a statement. (105729)

 17 Julie Hilling (Bolton West): What assessment he has made of the potential effect of funding reductions on the operational activities of fire and rescue services. (105730)

 18 Jane Ellison (Battersea): What estimate his Department has made of the change in the Greater London Authority precept on council tax bills since the establishment of the Authority. (105731)

 19 Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): Which non-metropolitan county council has the lowest council tax in England. (105732)

 20 Graham Evans (Weaver Vale): What plans he has to promote the take-up of the right to buy. (105734)

 21 Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne): Whether he plans to increase the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development. (105735)

 22 Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East): What support his Department has given to local authorities to raise awareness of mayoral referendums on 3 May. (105736)

 23 Stephen Lloyd (Eastbourne): What assessment he has made of the role of the private rented sector in the provision of low-cost housing. (105737)

At 3.15 pm

Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

The Members listed below have been selected by ballot to ask a Topical Question.

 T1 Andrew Stephenson (Pendle): If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. (105738)

 T2 Mike Freer (Finchley and Golders Green):  (105739)

 T3 Mr Edward Timpson (Crewe and Nantwich):  (105740)

 T4 Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak):  (105742)

 T5 Fiona Bruce (Congleton):  (105743)

 T6 Mark Menzies (Fylde):  (105744)

 T7 Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):  (105745)

 T8 Grahame M. Morris (Easington):  (105746)

 T9 Richard Graham (Gloucester):  (105747)

At 3.30 pm Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

Main Business

Note: Provision has been made for a Business Motion to be moved at 10.00 pm (Standing Order No. 15).

† indicates Government Business

† 1 SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE (1 MAY)

Sir George Young

Mr David Heath

That at the sitting on Tuesday 1 May-

(1) the House shall sit at 1.30 pm;

(2)  there shall be no sitting in Westminster Hall; and

(3) the Speaker shall not adjourn the House, if a Message from the Lords Commissioners is expected, until that Message has been received.

Debate may continue until any hour, if the Business of the House Motion is agreed to.

At 10.00 pm

†  BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [No debate]

The Prime Minister

That, at this day’s sitting, the Motion relating to Sittings of the House and the Allocation of Time Motion relating to the Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill [Lords] may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 15).

† 2 SUNDAY TRADING (LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES AND PARALYMPIC GAMES) BILL [LORDS] (ALLOCATION OF TIME) [Up to three hours]

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

Secretary Vince Cable

That the following provisions shall apply to the proceedings on the Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill [Lords]:

Timetable

1. (1) Proceedings on Second Reading, in Committee, on Consideration and on Third Reading shall be completed at today’s sitting.

(2) Proceedings on Second Reading, in Committee, on Consideration and on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption.

Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put

2. When the Bill has been read a second time-

(a) notwithstanding Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme order) it shall stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;

(b) the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.

3. (1) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee, the Chair shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.

(2) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.

4. For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 1, the Speaker or Chair shall forthwith put the following Questions (but no others) in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply-

(a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;

(b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;

(c) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a Minister of the Crown;

(d) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded.

5. On a Motion so made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chair or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.

6. If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph 4(c) on successive amendments moved or Motions made by a Minister of the Crown, the Chair or Speaker shall instead put a single Question in relation to those amendments or Motions.

7. If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph 4(d) in relation to successive provisions of the Bill, the Chair shall instead put a single Question in relation to those provisions, except that the Question shall be put separately on any Clause of or Schedule to the Bill which a Minister of the Crown has signified an intention to leave out.

Subsequent stages

8. (1) Any Message from the Lords on the Bill shall be considered forthwith without any Question being put.

(2) Proceedings on any Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.

9. (1) This paragraph applies for the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 8.

(2) The Speaker shall first put forthwith any Question which has been proposed from the Chair.

(3) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the Question on any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown which is related to the Question already proposed from the Chair.

(4) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the Question on any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown on or relevant to any of the remaining items in the Lords Message.

(5) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the Question that this House agrees with the Lords in all of the remaining Lords Proposals.

Reasons Committee

10. (1) The Speaker shall put forthwith the Question on any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown for the appointment, nomination and quorum of a Committee to draw up Reasons and the appointment of its Chair.

(2) A Committee appointed to draw up Reasons shall report before the conclusion of the sitting at which it is appointed.

(3) Proceedings in the Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion 30 minutes after their commencement.

(4) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with sub-paragraph (3), the Chair shall-

(a) first put forthwith any Question which has been proposed from the Chair, and

(b) then put forthwith successively Questions on Motions which may be made by a Minister of the Crown for assigning a Reason for disagreeing with the Lords in any of their Amendments.

(5) The proceedings of the Committee shall be reported without any further Question being put.

Miscellaneous

11. Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply so far as necessary for the purposes of this Order.

12. (1) The proceedings on any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.

(2) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to those proceedings.

13. Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings to which this Order applies.

14. (1) No Motion shall be made, except by a Minister of the Crown, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken or to re-commit the Bill.

(2) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.

15. (1) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings to which this Order applies except by a Minister of the Crown.

(2) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.

16. The Speaker may not arrange for a debate to be held in accordance with Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates) at today’s sitting before the conclusion of any proceedings to which this Order applies.

17. (1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies if the House is adjourned, or the sitting is suspended, before the conclusion of any proceedings to which this Order applies.

(2) No notice shall be required of a Motion made at the next sitting by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order.

18. Proceedings to which this Order applies may not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.

19. (1) Any private business which has been set down for consideration at 7.00 pm, 4.00 pm or 3.00 pm (as the case may be) on a day on which the Bill has been set down to be taken as an Order of the Day shall, instead of being considered as provided by Standing Orders, be considered at the conclusion of the proceedings on the Bill on that day.

(2) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to the private business for a period of three hours from the conclusion of the proceedings on the Bill or, if those proceedings are concluded before the moment of interruption, for a period equal to the time elapsing between 7.00 pm, 4.00 pm or 3.00 pm (as the case may be) and the conclusion of those proceedings.

The Speaker will put any Question necessary to dispose of proceedings not more than three hours after proceedings begin (Standing Order No. 83), and this period may continue or begin after 10.00 pm, if the 10.00 pm Business Motion is agreed to.

† 3 SUNDAY TRADING (LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES AND PARALYMPIC GAMES) BILL [LORDS]: Second Reading.

Remaining Stages may also be taken.

For Amendments, see separate Paper.

Proceedings on Second Reading, in Committee, on Consideration and on Third Reading will, so far as not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption if the Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill) [Lords] (Allocation of Time) Motion is agreed to.

† 4 NOTICES OF QUESTIONS [No debate after 10.00 pm]

Sir George Young

That, in respect of Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for oral answer on Wednesday 16 May in the next Session of Parliament, paragraph (5)(a) of Standing Order No. 22 (Notices of Questions, Motions and Amendments) shall apply with the substitution of three days for four days.

If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 pm.

At the end of the sitting:

5 ADJOURNMENT

Proposed subject: Developing a UK strategy for rare diseases (Mr Edward Timpson).

Debate may continue until 10.30 pm or for half an hour, whichever is later (Standing Order No. 9).

COMMITTEES

SELECT COMMITTEES

Subject: Managing Early Departures in Government.

Witnesses: Ian Watmore, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Sir Bob Kerslake, Permanent Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Chris Last, HR Director, Department for Work and Pensions.

Subjects: (i) Work of the Local Government Ombudsman; (ii) European Regional Development Fund.

Witnesses: (i) Dr Jane Martin, Chairman, and Anne Seex, Vice Chairman, Commission for Local Administration in England; (ii) José Palma Andres, DG Regional Policy, European Commission, Councillor Peter Box CBE, Local Government Association, and Linda Edworthy, CEDOS/ADEPT (at 5.00 pm).

JOINT COMMITTEE

Subject: National Security Strategy.

Witness: Rt Hon William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.]

PUBLICATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS

EU Development Assistance (Sixteenth Report).

Cost reduction in central Government: summary of progress (Eightieth Report).

Cable theft on the railway: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourteenth Report of Session 2010-12 (Fifteenth Special Report).

(Sixty-third Report).

Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) reform (Seventeenth Report).

Engineering in Government: Follow-up to the 2009 report on Engineering: turning ideas into reality (Fifteenth Report).

Developing Threats: Electro-Magnetic Pulses (EMP): Government Response to the Committee’s Tenth Report of Session 2010-12 (Twelfth Special Report).

Operations in Libya: Government Response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Session 2010-12 (Eleventh Special Report).

Written Ministerial Statements to be made today

1Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: ECOFIN 2 May 2012.

2Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Operation of the UK’s counter-terrorist asset-freezing regime: 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2012.

3Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: UK 2012 national reform programme.

4Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change: Post Informal Environment and Energy Councils, Denmark, 19-20 April 2012.

5Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Promoting and protecting human rights: the FCO’s 2011 Command Paper.

6Secretary of State for Justice: Appointment to the Prison Service Pay Review Body.

7Prime Minister: Military medals review.

8Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Workplace pension reform.