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The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1 Mersey Tunnels Bill,-The Order of the day being read, for consideration of the Mersey Tunnels Bill, as amended in the Committee;
Ordered, That the Bill be considered on Tuesday 6th May.
2 Waste and Emissions Trading Bill [Lords],-Mr David Amess reported from Standing Committee B, That it had gone through the Waste and Emissions Trading Bill [Lords], and made Amendments thereunto.
Bill, as Amended in the Standing Committee, to be considered to-morrow; and to be printed [Bill 97].
Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to be printed [No. 670].
3 Marine Safety Bill,-Mr Alan Hurst reported from Standing Committee E, That it had gone through the Marine Safety Bill, and directed him to report the same, without Amendment.
Bill, not Amended in the Standing Committee, to be considered on Friday 16th May.
Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to be printed [No. 669].
4 First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,-Miss Ann Widdecombe reported from the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the Care Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 534).
Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.
5 Message from the Lords,-A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:
The Lords have agreed to the Amendment made by this House to the National Minimum Wage (Enforcement Notices) Bill [Lords], without Amendment.
The Lords have agreed to the Amendment made by this House to a Lords Amendment to the European Parliament (Representation) Bill, without Amendment.
6 National Community Service,-Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for a national scheme of community service for 16 and 17 year olds: And that Mr Tony Banks do prepare and bring it in.
7 National Community Service Bill,-Mr Tony Banks accordingly presented a Bill to make provision for a national scheme of community service for 16 and 17 year olds: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 11th July and to be printed [Bill 96].
8 Opposition Day [5th 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.
Impact of Government Policies on Community Services,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House expresses its deep concern at the collapse of community services in Britain and the adverse effect on social inclusion, neighbourhood renewal, regional prosperity, and the quality of community life; condemns the policies of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which have resulted in the unfair distribution of local authority grant, causing divisive regional disparities, and centralised decision-making and services; regrets that the only solution the Government has to these problems is an expensive unnecessary additional layer of regional government; further condemns the Government's failure to improve local health care provision by tackling the necessary reform of NHS services; deplores the absence of policies to protect rural communities from the effects of the deep recession in farming; and recognises the Government's total failure to protect community services, resulting in a crisis in school funding, an increase in violent crime, a deteriorating transport system, and a threat to important local services including community pharmacies, sub-post offices and residential care homes-(David Davis);
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 'commends the Government's policies on community services and applauds its commitment to neighbourhood renewal, social inclusion and the quality of urban and rural community life through the protection and enhancement of key local services; further applauds the Government's achievements of a stable economy, improved economic prosperity and social justice, increased community services investment, reduced crime and safer communities; welcomes this year's increased funding for education of over £2.6 billion, 11.6% extra, and more than £250 million greater than pressures; notes that since 1997-98 spending per pupil has risen in real terms every year compared with a 4% real terms cut between 1992-93 and 1997-98; further welcomes the Government's NHS and social services modernisation to devolve power and resources locally to Primary Care Trusts and to end delayed discharges from hospital; notes that between 2003-04 and 2005-06 social care funding will grow in real terms by 6% per annum on average, building on the improvements already made to community services through the 20% real terms increase since 1997; welcomes this year's fairer funding of local government, producing, for the first time ever, an above inflation grant increase for every local authority and region in England, with a 25% real terms increase in grant since 1997, compared with a 7% cut under the last 4 years of the last Conservative government; notes that Conservative councils have imposed on average 16.2% increase in council tax; and condemns the cynical opportunism of trying to blame the Government for irresponsible tax increases by Conservative councils', instead thereof.-(Mr Nick Raynsford.)
And the Question being proposed, That the original words stand part of the Question.
Mr 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, Mr Mark Hoban, Mr Robert Syms: 139.
Tellers for the Noes, Jim Fitzpatrick, Mr Ivor Caplin: 327.
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, Jim Fitzpatrick, Mr Ivor Caplin: 298.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Mark Hoban, Mr Robert Syms: 162.
So the Question was agreed to.
The Deputy Speaker forthwith declared the Main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.
Resolved, That this House commends the Government's policies on community services and applauds its commitment to neighbourhood renewal, social inclusion and the quality of urban and rural community life through the protection and enhancement of key local services; further applauds the Government's achievements of a stable economy, improved economic prosperity and social justice, increased community services investment, reduced crime and safer communities; welcomes this year's increased funding for education of over £2.6 billion, 11.6% extra, and more than £250 million greater than pressures; notes that since 1997-98 spending per pupil has risen in real terms every year compared with a 4% real terms cut between 1992-93 and 1997-98; further welcomes the Government's NHS and social services modernisation to devolve power and resources locally to Primary Care Trusts and to end delayed discharges from hospital; notes that between 2003-04 and 2005-06 social care funding will grow in real terms by 6% per annum on average, building on the improvements already made to community services through the 20% real terms increase since 1997; welcomes this year's fairer funding of local government, producing, for the first time ever, an above inflation grant increase for every local authority and region in England, with a 25% real terms increase in grant since 1997, compared with a 7% cut under the last 4 years of the last Conservative government; notes that Conservative councils have imposed on average 16.2% increase in council tax; and condemns the cynical opportunism of trying to blame the Government for irresponsible tax increases by Conservative councils.
9 Public Petitions,-Public Petitions from:
(1) residents of South West Bedfordshire against the unrestricted opening of pharmacies able to dispense NHS prescriptions,
(2) electors within the Parliamentary Constituency of Brentwood and Ongar and nearby district councils for a fairer method of distributing local government grants,
(3) the Wells and District Hospital Support Group against the proposed closure of Wells and District Hospital,
(4) residents of Gloucester and others for continued Government support for British Energy
were presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.
10 Adjournment,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn-(Gillian Merron);
And the Motion having been made after Seven o'clock, and the Debate having continued for half an hour, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order, it being then one minute past Eight o'clock, till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 8.01 p.m.
Michael J. Martin
Speaker
Mr Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Eleven o'clock.
APPENDIX I
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
1 Competition,-(1) Draft Enterprise Act 2002 (Anticipated Mergers) Order 2003,
(2) draft Enterprise Act 2002 (Part 8 Domestic Infringements) Order 2003,
(3) draft Enterprise Act 2002 (Protection of Legitimate Interests) Order 2003, and
(4) draft Enterprise Act 2002 (Supply of Services) Order 2003
[by Act]; with Explanatory Memoranda thereon [by Command] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
2 Lands Tribunal,-Lands Tribunal (Salaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. (N.I.), 2003, No. 227), dated 10th April 2003 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Murphy].
3 Plant Health,-Plant Health (Amendment) (England) Order 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 1157), dated 28th April 2003 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].
Other Papers:
4 National Audit,-Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Progress on 15 major capital projects funded by Arts Council England [by Act]; to be printed [No. 622] [Clerk of the House].
5 Public Petitions,-Observations by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the Petitions [13th March] from Pam Challis and others against proposals for the unrestricted opening of pharmacies; and pharmacy users in Putney against any legislation which may threaten the viability of local pharmacies [by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].
APPENDIX II
Standing Committees
1 Care Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 534),-The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Eric Martlew from the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the Regulations); and nominated in substitution Jon Cruddas.
APPENDIX III
Reports from Select Committees
1 Culture, Media and Sport,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee [British Film Industry]; to be printed [No. 667-i] [Mr Gerald Kaufman].
2 Foreign Affairs,-(1) Fifth Report from the Foreign Affairs Committee [The Biological Weapons Green Paper]; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 671]; and
(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against Terrorism]; to be printed [No. 405-iv].
3 Health,-Second Report from the Health Committee [Foundation Trusts], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 395]; and
(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [Foundation Trusts]
4 Home Affairs,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Home Affairs Committee [Sexual Offences Bill]; to be printed [No. 639-ii] [Mr Chris Mullin].
5 House of Lords Reform,-Second Report from the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform [House of Lords Reform]; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 668] [Dr Jack Cunningham].
6 International Development,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the International Development Committee [Trade and Development: Aspects of the Doha Agenda]; to be printed [No. 400-ix] [Tony Baldry].
7 Lord Chancellor's Department,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee on the Lord Chancellor's Department [Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)]; to be printed [No. 614-ii] [Mr A. J. Beith].
[W.H., No. 52]
Minutes of Proceedings of the Sitting in Westminster Hall
The sitting commenced at half-past Nine o'clock.
Adjournment,-Resolved, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(Mr Gerry Sutcliffe.)
And accordingly the sitting was adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 4.29 p.m.
Sir Alan Haselhurst
Deputy Speaker
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