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The House met at half-past Two o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1 Opposition Day [2nd allotted day],-It being an allotted day at the disposal of the Leader of the Opposition in pursuance of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), the House proceeded to consider Opposition business.
The Home Secretary's Responsibility for the Criminal Justice System,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House views with great concern the rise in gun crime and domestic burglary, the growing demoralisation of the police, the increasing sense of helplessness of the honest citizen and the apparent inability of the Government to provide a coherent, long-term strategy to resolve these problems; and deprecates the Home Secretary's resort to short-term, irrelevant and illiberal measures to conceal this failure-(Mr Oliver Letwin);
An Amendment was proposed to the Question, in line 2, to leave out from the word 'House' to the end of the Question and add the words 'welcomes the steps the Government has taken and continues to take to reform all aspects of law enforcement including increasing police numbers to record levels and the 6.1 per cent. increase in police funding for 2003-04; further welcomes the steps the Government is taking to modernise the criminal justice system through the coherent long-term strategies and the introduction of the Criminal Justice Bill; notes that for the last five years crime rates have fallen by 27 per cent. according to the British Crime Survey, that burglary has reduced by 39 per cent. since 1997 and that the chances of becoming a victim of crime are as low as at any time in the last 20 years; and particularly supports the decisive action being taken by the Government to tackle street crime and the rise in gun-related crime', instead thereof.-(Mr Secretary Blunkett.)
And the Question being put, That the original words stand part of the Question;
Tellers for the Ayes, Hugh Robertson, Angela Watkinson: 152.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Ivor Caplin, Derek Twigg: 365.
So the Question was negatived.
And the Question, That the proposed words be there added, being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 31 (Questions on amendments): -It was agreed to.
The Deputy Speaker forthwith declared the Main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.
Resolved, That this House welcomes the steps the Government has taken and continues to take to reform all aspects of law enforcement including increasing police numbers to record levels and the 6.1 per cent. increase in police funding for 2003-04; further welcomes the steps the Government is taking to modernise the criminal justice system through the coherent long-term strategies and the introduction of the Criminal Justice Bill; notes that for the last five years crime rates have fallen by 27 per cent. according to the British Crime Survey, that burglary has reduced by 39 per cent. since 1997 and that the chances of becoming a victim of crime are as low as at any time in the last 20 years; and particularly supports the decisive action being taken by the Government to tackle street crime and the rise in gun-related crime.
Drugs Policy,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House recognises the fundamental importance of the link between hard drugs and crime; and believes that the only means by which an effective onslaught on the hard drugs culture can be made is through mandatory intensive treatment and rehabilitation for young heroin and cocaine addicts-(Mr Oliver Letwin);
An Amendment was proposed to the Question, in line 2, to leave out from the word 'House' to the end of the Question and add the words 'recognises that focusing on Class A drugs, educating young people about the dangers of all drugs, preventing drug misuse, combating the dealers, reducing availability and treating addicts are all essential in tackling drugs; and welcomes the Government's updated Drug Strategy and the 44 per cent. increase in planned expenditure on combating drugs, from £1.026 billion in the current financial year to nearly £1.5 billion in the year starting April 2005', instead thereof.-(Mr Bob Ainsworth.)
And the Question being proposed, That the original words stand part of the Question;
David Maclean rose in his place and claimed to move that the Question be now put.
And the Question being put, That the Question be now put: -It was agreed to.
And the Question being accordingly put;
Tellers for the Ayes, Hugh Robertson, Angela Watkinson: 143.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Nick Ainger, Mr John Heppell: 375.
So the Question was negatived.
And the Question, That the proposed words be there added, being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 31 (Questions on amendments);
Tellers for the Ayes, Mr John Heppell, Mr Nick Ainger: 368.
Tellers for the Noes, Hugh Robertson, Mr Desmond Swayne: 142.
So the Question was agreed to.
The Speaker forthwith declared the Main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.
Resolved, That this House recognises that focusing on Class A drugs, educating young people about the dangers of all drugs, preventing drug misuse, combating the dealers, reducing availability and treating addicts are all essential in tackling drugs; and welcomes the Government's updated Drug Strategy and the 44 per cent. increase in planned expenditure on combating drugs, from £1.026 billion in the current financial year to nearly £1.5 billion in the year starting April 2005.
2 National Lottery,-A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Increase of Endowment) Order 2003, which was laid before this House on 11th December, be approved-(Mr Fraser Kemp)-It was agreed to.
3 Transport,-Ordered, That Helen Jackson be discharged from the Transport Committee and Ian Lucas be added to the Committee.-(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
4 Adjournment,-Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Mr Fraser Kemp.)
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till six minutes to Eleven o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 10.54 p.m.
Michael J. Martin
Speaker
Mr Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Eleven o'clock.
APPENDIX
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 10th January 2003 (Non-sitting Friday, S.O. No. 12) pursuant to Standing Order No. 159 (Presentation of statutory instruments):
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
1 Electronic Communications,-Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 33), dated 9th January 2003 [Ms Secretary Hewitt].
2 Housing,-Allocation of Housing (England) Regulations 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 3264), dated 18th December 2002 [Mr Secretary Prescott].
3 Landlord and Tenant,-Leasehold Reform (Notices) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 3209), dated 20th December 2002 [Mr Secretary Prescott].
4 Local Government,-Revenue Support Grant (Specified Bodies) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 5), dated 6th January 2003 [Mr Secretary Prescott].
5 National Health Service,-National Health Service (Out of Hours Provision of Personal Medical Services and Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 26), dated 9th January 2003 [Mr Secretary Milburn].
6 Road Traffic,-Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (S.I., 2002, No. 3113), dated 16th December 2002 [Mr Secretary Darling].
Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 13th January 2003:
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
7 Landlord and Tenant,-Draft Regulatory Reform (Assured Periodic Tenancies) (Rent Increases) Order 2003, together with a statement by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
8 Countryside,-Access to the Countryside (Provisional and Conclusive Maps) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 32), dated 9th January 2003 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].
9 Police,-Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 27), dated 7th January 2003 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Blunkett].
10 Road Traffic,-Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) (Information Centre and Compensation Body) Regulations 2003, dated 10th January 2003 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Darling].
Other Papers:
11 Chelsea Hospital,-Accounts of the Royal Hospital Chelsea for 2001-02, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 264] [Clerk of the House].
12 National Audit,-Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Safety, quality, efficacy: regulating medicines in the UK [by Act]; to be printed [No. 255] [Clerk of the House].
13 National Health Service,-Accounts of the Public Health Laboratory Service Board for 2001-02, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 267] [Clerk of the House].
14 National Lottery,-Accounts of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland Lottery Distribution for 2001-02, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 265] [Clerk of the House].
15 Race Relations,-Accounts of the Commission for Racial Equality for 2001-02, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 266] [Clerk of the House].
16 Regulatory Reform,-Proposal for a Regulatory Reform (British Waterways Board) Order 2003, together with a statement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].
17 School Standards and Framework,-Accounts of the:-
(1) Barrow Education Action Zone for 2000-01
(2) Birmingham (Aston and Nechells) Education Action Zone for 1999-2000,
(3) Birmingham (Aston and Nechells) Education Action Zone for 2000-01,
(4) Bolton (Ex Breightmet & Tonge) Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(5) Corby Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(6) Dudley Education Action Zone for 2000-01,
(7) Easington and Seaham Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(8) East Basildon Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(9) East Cleveland Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(10) Halifax Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(11) Lambeth Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(12) Leigh Park Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(13) Peterlee Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
(14) Plymouth Education Action Zone for 2001-02, and
(15) Thetford Education Action Zone for 2001-02,
with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 254, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250 and 251] [Clerk of the House].
Papers withdrawn:
18 Animals,-Draft Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 [laid 9th January].
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