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The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1 London Local Authorities Bill [Lords],-The Order of the day being read, for resuming the adjourned Debate on the Question proposed on 7th January, That the promoters of the London Local Authorities Bill [Lords] may, notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders or practice of this House, proceed with the Bill in the present Session; and the Petition for the Bill shall be deemed to have been deposited and all Standing Orders applicable to it shall be deemed to have been complied with;
That, if the Bill is brought from the Lords in the present Session, a declaration signed by the agent shall be deposited in the Private Bill Office, stating that the Bill is the same in every respect as the Bill brought from the Lords in the last Session;
That the Clerk in the Private Bill Office shall lay upon the Table of the House a certificate, that such a declaration has been deposited;
That in the present session the Bill shall be deemed to have passed through every stage through which it passed in the last Session, and shall be recorded in the Journal of the House as having passed those stages;
That no further fees shall be charged to such stages;
And the Question being again proposed;
And objection being taken to further proceeding, the Debate stood adjourned.
Ordered, That the Debate be resumed on Wednesday 28th January.
2 European Standing Committee A,-Mr John McWilliam reported from European Standing Committee A the following Resolution:
That the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 12985/03, draft Directive on the protection of groundwater against pollution; and supports the Government's aim of negotiating a flexible, risk-based instrument, which takes account of the variability of groundwater and its uses, in accordance with the Government's policy of effective groundwater protection.
Report, together with Resolution, to lie upon the Table.
3 Message from the Lords,-A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:
Disability Discrimination Bill (Joint Committee),-The Lords communicate that they have appointed a Committee of six Lords to join with the Committee appointed by the Commons to consider and report on the draft Disability Discrimination Bill presented to both Houses on 3rd December 2003 (Cm. 6058);
They have ordered that the Committee have power to agree with the Commons in the appointment of a Chairman;
That the Committee have leave to report from time to time;
That the Committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;
That the Committee have power to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom;
That the quorum of the Committee shall be two;
That the reports of the Committee from time to time shall be printed, notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; and
That the Committee do report on the draft Bill by the end of April 2004.
4 Sustainable Communities Bill,-Sue Doughty, supported by Gregory Barker, Mr David Drew and Mr Simon Thomas, presented a Bill to require the drawing up and implementation of a strategy to promote sustainability among local communities; to make provision for the inclusion of targets and indicators in the strategy; to make provision for councils to implement the strategy in their area; to make provision in respect of the powers of electors in relation to the implementation of the strategy; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 23rd April and to be printed [Bill 41].
5 Universal Funded Pensions,-Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require people to save for a guaranteed pension sufficient to avoid reliance on means-tested benefits: And that Mr Peter Lilley, Mr David Cameron, Mr Gerald Howarth, Mr Andrew Mitchell, Mr John Maples, Mr David Ruffley and Andrew Selous do prepare and bring it in.
6 Universal Funded Pensions Bill,-Mr Peter Lilley accordingly presented a Bill to require people to save for a guaranteed pension sufficient to avoid reliance on means-tested benefits: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 15th October and to be printed [Bill 40].
7 Opposition Day [3rd 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.
Case for a Civil Service Bill,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House calls on the Government to introduce a Civil Service Bill in this Parliamentary Session-(Mr Kenneth Clarke);
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 Government's commitment, in its response to the Ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, to publish a draft Civil Service Bill for consultation; acknowledges the contribution made to the discussion of these issues in recent days by the Public Administration Select Committee; notes the failure of any previous Conservative Government to legislate for the Civil Service; and welcomes this Government's commitment to reforming and modernising the Civil Service to ensure that it continues to deliver a first class service to the people of this country', instead thereof.-(Mr Douglas Alexander.)
And the Question being put, That the original words stand part of the Question;
Tellers for the Ayes, Gregory Barker, Mr Peter Atkinson: 209.
Tellers for the Noes, Gillian Merron, Margaret Moran: 328.
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 Government's commitment, in its response to the Ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, to publish a draft Civil Service Bill for consultation; acknowledges the contribution made to the discussion of these issues in recent days by the Public Administration Select Committee; notes the failure of any previous Conservative Government to legislate for the Civil Service; and welcomes this Government's commitment to reforming and modernising the Civil Service to ensure that it continues to deliver a first class service to the people of this country.
Voting Rights for Honourable Members Representing Scottish Seats,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House deplores the practice of Right honourable and honourable Members representing Scottish constituences voting on bills concerning issues that have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, especially those which introduce in England measures that have been rejected in Scotland; condemns the unfairness that this represents to those in English constituencies and the Government's failure to address the problem; notes that it is the practice of the honourable Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale voluntarily to abstain from voting on such legislation; calls on other Right honourable and honourable Members representing Scottish constituencies similarly to abstain from such votes; and believes that the fairest long-term solution is for bills on areas of policy which have been devolved to Scotland to be so ratified by the Speaker and for Right honourable and honourable Members from Scottish constituencies to abstain from voting on such bills-(Mr Peter Duncan);
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 'believes that Parliament is the Parliament for the whole of the United Kingdom, and that all Right honourable and honourable Members are equal in status and have a right to speak and vote on all matters brought before Parliament; and opposes any step that would undermine the Union of the United Kingdom', instead thereof.-(Mrs Anne McGuire.)
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, Mr Peter Atkinson, Gregory Barker: 142.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Vernon Coaker, Paul Clark: 377.
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 Vernon Coaker, Paul Clark: 364.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr David Wilshire, Mr Mark Francois: 141.
So the Question was agreed to.
The Deputy Speaker forthwith declared the Main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.
Resolved, That this House believes that Parliament is the Parliament for the whole of the United Kingdom, and that all Right honourable and honourable Members are equal in status and have a right to speak and vote on all matters brought before Parliament; and opposes any step that would undermine the Union of the United Kingdom.
8 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 New Opportunities Fund (Specification of Initiative) Order 2004, which was laid before this House on 10th December, be approved-(Mr Nick Ainger):-It was agreed to.
9 Adjournment,-Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Mr Nick Ainger.)
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till six minutes to Eight o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 7.54 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 Immigration,-(1) Draft Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) (Amendment) Order 2004, and
(2) draft Immigration (Provision of Physical Data) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
[by Act], with Explanatory Memoranda thereon [by Command] [Mr Secretary Blunkett].
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
2 Local Government,-Recreation Grounds (Revocation of Parish Council Byelaws) Order 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 80), dated 14th January 2004 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
3 Passenger Transport,-Bus Service Operators Grant (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 9), dated 19th January 2004 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Darling].
4 Prices,-Price Marking Order 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 102), dated 19th January 2004 [by Act] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].
5 Public Passenger Transport,-Public Service Vehicles (Registration of Local Services) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 10), dated 19th January 2004 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Darling].
Other Papers:
6 National Lottery,-Annual Review of the Arts Council for England for 2003, incorporating Report and National Lottery Accounts, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon, for 2002-03 [by Act] [Secretary Tessa Jowell].
7 Public Accounts,-Treasury Minute on the Forty-Third to the Forty-Sixth Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2002-03 [by Command] [Cm. 6105] [Ruth Kelly].
8 Public Lending Right,-Report by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the Public Lending Right Scheme for 2002-03, incorporating the Registrar's Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement of the Public Lending Right Central Fund for 2002-03, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act] [Secretary Tessa Jowell].
9 School Standards and Framework,-Accounts of-
(1) Lambeth Education Action Zone for 2002-03,
(2) Newham Education Action Zone for 2003-04,
(3) Slough Education Action Zone for 2002-03,
(4) South East England Virtual Education Action Zone for 2002-03, and
(5) Southend Education Action Zone for 2002-03,
with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 241, 242, 243, 244 and 245] [by Act] [Clerk of the House].
10 Treaty Series (No. 52, 2003),-Third Supplementary List of Ratifications, Accessions, Withdrawals, etc., for 2003 [by Command] [Cm. 6106] [Mr Secretary Straw].
APPENDIX II
Standing Committees
1 Traffic Management Bill:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee A; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Hugh Bayley, Mr David Borrow, Mr Christopher Chope, Mr David Jamieson, Mr Greg Knight, Mr Tony McNulty, John Mann, Mr Paul Marsden, Gillian Merron, Mr Andrew Miller, Mr John Redwood, John Thurso, Claire Ward, Brian White, Mr David Wilshire and David Wright.
2 Employment Relations Bill:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee D; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated seventeen Members to serve on the Committee: Charlotte Atkins, Mr Peter Atkinson, Mr Henry Bellingham, Malcolm Bruce, Brian Cotter, Jon Cruddas, Mr Jonathan Djanogly, Mr Michael Jabez Foster, Mrs Eleanor Laing, Mr John Lyons, Albert Owen, Anne Picking, Jim Sheridan, Ian Stewart, Mr Gerry Sutcliffe, Mr Bill Tynan and Hywel Williams.
3 Civil Contingencies Bill:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee F; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated twenty-one Members to serve on the Committee: Mr Douglas Alexander, Mr Richard Allan, Andy Burnham, Mr Alan Campbell, Mr Alistair Carmichael, Mr James Clappison, Jim Dowd, Mr Oliver Heald, Helen Jackson, Mr Mark Lazarowicz, Mr Elfyn Llwyd, Fiona Mactaggart, Patrick Mercer, Sandra Osborne, Mr Greg Pope, Mr Stephen Pound, Bridget Prentice, Lawrie Quinn, Mr Michael Trend, Mr Neil Turner and Angela Watkinson.
(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee G; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated nineteen Members to serve on the Committee: Virginia Bottomley, Harry Cohen, Valerie Davey, Mrs Louise Ellman, Mr Mark Francois, Dr Ian Gibson, Dr Evan Harris, Mr Peter Kilfoyle, Jim Knight, Dr Stephen Ladyman, Mr Andrew Lansley, Ian Lucas, Mr Malcolm Moss, Dr Andrew Murrison, Dr Doug Naysmith, Joan Ryan, Dr Richard Taylor, Mr Tom Watson and Ms Rosie Winterton.
5 Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 3242):
(1) The Speaker has allocated the Regulations to the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Mr Nick Ainger, Norman Baker, Mr Crispin Blunt, Mr David Crausby, Tony Cunningham, Mr Stephen Dorrell, Mr Dai Havard, Mr Terry Lewis, Miss Anne McIntosh, Mr Elliot Morley, Jonathan Shaw, Mr John Smith, Dr Gavin Strang, Mr Roger Williams, Mr David Wilshire and Mr Anthony D. Wright.
6 Draft Betting and Gaming (Northern Ireland) Order 2004:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Order to the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Peter Bottomley, Kevin Brennan, Mr Alistair Carmichael, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Mr Vernon Coaker, Mr Tony Colman, Mr Robin Cook, Mr Parmjit Dhanda, Mr Mark Field, Mr Tom Harris, Helen Jones, Christine Russell, The Reverend Martin Smyth, Mr John Spellar, Mr Ian Taylor and Paddy Tipping.
7 Draft Industrial Training Levy (Construction Board) Order 2004 and the draft Industrial Training Levy (Engineering Construction Board) Order 2004:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Orders to the Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Mr Martin Caton, Ross Cranston, Mr Ian Davidson, Mr Mark Francois, Mr Nick Gibb, Kate Hoey, Mr Bob Laxton, Mr Ivan Lewis, Mr Iain Luke, Mr Jim Marshall, Mr Michael Meacher, Dr John Pugh, Mr Mark Simmonds, Derek Twigg, Mr Robert Walter and Mr Phil Willis.
8 Draft European Parliamentary Elections (Combined Region and Campaign Expenditure) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2004:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Order to the Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Mr Tony Clarke, Geraint Davies, Mr Brian H. Donohoe, Mr Adrian Flook, Mr George Foulkes, Mr Nick Hawkins, Mr David Heath, Mr David Heyes, Mr Robert Key, Mr Piara S. Khabra, Mr Christopher Leslie, Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews, Mr Jim Murphy, Mr Kerry Pollard, Bob Russell and Angela Watkinson.
9 Draft Criminal Defence Service (Choice in Very High Cost Cases) (Amendment) Regulations 2004:
(1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Regulations to the Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation; and
(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee: Mr Russell Brown, Chris Bryant, Richard Burden, Mr John Burnett, Mr James Clappison, Mrs Helen Clark, Geraint Davies, Mr Dominic Grieve, Mr David Heath, Mr John Heppell, Mr Kevin Hughes, Mr David Lammy, Mr Andrew Rosindell, Mr Frank Roy, Mr Martin Salter and Angela Watkinson.
European Standing Committees
10 European Standing Committee B,-The Committee of Selection has discharged Hywel Williams from European Standing Committee B and nominated in substitution Mr Elfyn Llwyd.
11 European Union Document No. 15388/03, relating to Fisheries: catch quotas and effort limitation 2004, has been referred to European Standing Committee A.
APPENDIX III
Reports from Select Committees
1 Defence,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Defence Committee [Lessons of Iraq]; to be printed [No. 57-vi and -vii] [Bruce George].
2 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,-(1) Third Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee [Cetacean By-catch], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Cetacean By-catch Sub-Committee of the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No.88]:
(2) Third Special Report from the Committee [Government's Reply to the Seventeenth Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Session 2002-03, on Biofuels]; to be printed [No. 270]; and
(3) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Implementation of CAP Reform in the UK]; to be printed [No.226-ii]
[Mr Michael Jack].
3 Environmental Audit,-(1) First Special Report from the Environmental Audit Committee [Government Response to the Twelfth Report from the Committee, Session 2002-03, on World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002: From Rhetoric to Reality]; to be printed [No. 232]; and
(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Pre-Budget Report 2003]; to be printed [No. 233-i]
4 European Scrutiny,-(1) Seventh Report from the European Scrutiny Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 42-vii]; and
(2) Eighth Report from the Committee [The Committee's work in 2003], together with Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee on 19th November 2003; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 42-viii]
5 Northern Ireland Affairs,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee [The Compensation Agency; Forensic Science Northern Ireland]; to be printed [Nos. 271-1 & 272-i] [Mr Michael Mates].
6 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions,-Third Report from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee [The Fire Service], with the 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. 43-I] [Mr Andrew Bennett].
7 Public Accounts,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts [Ministry of Defence: Operation TELIC - United Kingdom Military Operations in Iraq]; to be printed [Mo. 273-i] [Mr Edward Leigh].
8 Scottish Affairs,-First Report from the Scottish Affairs Committee [Coincidence of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in Scotland and the Consequences of Change], 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. 77] [Mrs Irene Adams].
9 Transport,-(1) Second Report from the Transport Committee [Departmental Annual Report 2003]; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings relating to the Report [No. 249];
(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [The Work of the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency]; to be printed [No. 250-i].
[Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].
10 Treasury,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Sub-committee of the Treasury Committee [The Administrative Costs of Tax Compliance]; to be printed [No. 269-i] [Mr John McFall].
[W.H., No. 13]
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.-(Paul Clark.)
And accordingly the sitting was adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 4.44 p.m.
Sir Alan Haselhurst
Deputy Speaker
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