|
The House met at half-past Two o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1 Fisheries Jurisdiction Bill,-The Order for reading the Fisheries Jurisdiction Bill a second time on Friday 21st May was read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 16th July.
2 Opposition Day [11th allotted day],-It being an allotted day at the disposal of the leader of the second largest opposition party in pursuance of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), the House proceeded to consider Opposition business.
Security situation in Iraq,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House notes with concern the deteriorating security situation in Iraq and the Middle East and the impact on public opinion in Iraq of the reports of mistreatment of Iraqi citizens and detainees; believes that progress in Iraq is only possible if the role of the United Nations is expanded and enhanced and the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis on 30th June is real and visible; recalls that on 18th March 2003 when this House endorsed military action against Saddam Hussein it did so on an understanding that progress on the road map for a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians would be a priority for Her Majesty's Government; expresses its disappointment that recent events have made the achievement of a negotiated two state solution more difficult and less likely; recognises the bravery and professionalism of British armed forces serving in Iraq in difficult and dangerous circumstances; calls upon Her Majesty's Government not to commit any further troops unless requested by United Kingdom commanders in Iraq for the purposes of securing the safety of British forces and the fulfilling of Britain's legal obligations under international law towards the inhabitants of Iraq; and further declares that any such troops should remain under United Kingdom operational command and within the area currently under United Kingdom control-(Sir Menzies Campbell);
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 work being done by the UK and its Coalition partners to establish stability and security in Iraq; regards any mistreatment of Iraqis by Coalition forces to be unacceptable; recognises the bravery and professionalism of British forces in Iraq in assisting the Iraqi people in rebuilding Iraq; applauds the work of the UN Secretary-General's special adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, for his contribution to helping establish a sovereign Iraqi Interim Government which will assume power by 30th June; and supports the Government in its efforts to secure a new Security Council resolution and deliver the wishes of the Iraqi people for a sovereign, stable and democratic Iraq', instead thereof.-(Mr Secretary Hoon.)
And the Question being put, That the original words stand part of the Question;
Tellers for the Ayes, Richard Younger-Ross, Mr Alan Reid: 60.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Fraser Kemp, Mr Vernon Coaker: 393.
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 work being done by the UK and its Coalition partners to establish stability and security in Iraq; regards any mistreatment of Iraqis by Coalition forces to be unacceptable; recognises the bravery and professionalism of British forces in Iraq in assisting the Iraqi people in rebuilding Iraq; applauds the work of the UN Secretary-General's special adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, for his contribution to helping establish a sovereign Iraqi Interim Government which will assume power by 30th June; and supports the Government in its efforts to secure a new Security Council resolution and deliver the wishes of the Iraqi people for a sovereign, stable and democratic Iraq.
Local Government Finance,-A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House notes that council tax has risen by 70 per cent. since Labour came to power and that the Budget Red Book forecasts a rise in council tax receipts next year of over 7 per cent; further notes that these rises are hitting particularly hard those on low and modest incomes because of the way council tax was designed by the last Conservative Government; is concerned that this manifest unfairness of council tax now means that the poorest 10 per cent. of people pay over four times more of their income in council tax than the richest 10 per cent; notes that the whole system of local government finance needs major reform owing to the problems caused by the dependency of councils on central government grants that produces the gearing effect whereby on average councils must raise council tax by 4 per cent. to offset a grant reduction of one per cent; believes that the Labour Government have made the bad situation they inherited from the Conservative Government even worse by their excessive reliance on ring-fencing, passporting and centrally-imposed targets and regulations; and therefore calls on the Government's Balance of Funding Review to make far-reaching proposals for reform when it reports shortly, including the introduction of a local income tax to replace council tax, the return of business rates to local authorities, reformed in line with land values, and a radical reduction in central government interference-(Mr Edward Davey);
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 support for local government with its 30 per cent. real terms increase in grant since 1997; notes that the average increase in council tax in 2004-05 is the lowest for nine years; supports the Government's proposals to take action against a number of authorities which have set excessive budgets and council tax increases in 2004-05; and looks forward to the report of the Balance of Funding Review of how local government in England is funded which is due in summer 2004', instead thereof.-(Mr Nick Raynsford.)
And the Question being proposed, That the original words stand part of the Question;
Mr Andrew Stunell 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, Bob Russell, Mr Roger Williams: 48.
Tellers for the Noes, Paul Clark, Charlotte Atkins: 437.
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, Charlotte Atkins, Paul Clark: 296.
Tellers for the Noes, Mr Hugo Swire, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: 181.
So the Question was agreed to.
The Speaker forthwith declared the Main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.
Resolved, That this House welcomes the Government support for local government with its 30 per cent. real terms increase in grant since 1997; notes that the average increase in council tax in 2004-05 is the lowest for nine years; supports the Government's proposals to take action against a number of authorities which have set excessive budgets and council tax increases in 2004-05; and looks forward to the report of the Balance of Funding Review of how local government in England is funded which is due in summer 2004.
3 Human Rights,-A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Human Rights Act 1998 (Amendment) Order 2004, which was laid before this House on 22nd April, be approved-(Gillian Merron):-It was agreed to.
4 Northern Ireland,-A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Modification) Order 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 1164), dated 20th April, a copy of which was laid before this House on 20th April, be approved-(Gillian Merron):-It was agreed to.
5 Northern Ireland,-A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the direction given by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under section 51B(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on 28th April 2004, which was laid before this House on 28th April, be approved-(Gillian Merron):-It was agreed to.
6 Co-operation with the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip,-A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 119 (European Standing Committees), That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 12441/03, draft regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No. 1734/94 on financial and technical cooperation with the Occupied Territories; welcomes this amendment; and supports the European Commission's continued support for Palestinian development and the Middle East Peace Process-(Gillian Merron):-It was agreed to.
7 Business of the House,-Ordered, That, for the purposes of its approval, the draft Guidance proposed to be issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, which was laid before this House on 23rd March, shall be treated as if it were an instrument subject to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation).-(Gillian Merron.)
8 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 Ten 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 Eleven o'clock, till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 11 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 Negative Resolution:
1 Disabled Persons,-Rail Vehicle Accessibility (South Eastern Trains Class 376) Exemption Order 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 1302), dated 6th May 2004 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Darling].
2 Road Traffic,-Road Traffic (Permitted Parking Area and Special Parking Area) (Metropolitan Borough of Wigan) Order 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 1305), dated 7th May 2004 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Darling].
3 Taxes,-Stamp Duty Land Tax (Appeals) Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 1363), dated 10th May 2004 [by Act] [Mr David Lammy].
Other Papers:
4 Constitutional Affairs,-Paper, entitled Draft Criminal Defence Service Bill Consultation Paper and Explanatory Notes [by Command] [Cm. 6194] [Mr David Lammy].
5 Financial Reporting to Parliament,-Departmental Report 2004: The Government's Expenditure Plans for 2003-04 to 2005-06 for-
(1) H. M. Customs and Excise; and
[by Command] [Cm. 6224 and 6225] [Mr Paul Boateng].
6 National Audit,-Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on The Management of Sickness Absence in the Prison Service [by Act]; to be printed [No. 533] [Clerk of the House].
APPENDIX II
Standing Committees
1 Crown Employment (Nationality) Bill,-The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee C.
2 Sex Discrimination (Clubs and Other Private Associations) Bill,-The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee C.
3 Energy Bill [Lords] (Programming Sub-Committee),-The Speaker has appointed Charlotte Atkins, Nigel Griffiths, Mr Laurence Robertson, Mr David Ruffley, Ian Stewart, Mr Andrew Stunell and Dr Alan Whitehead members of the Programming Sub-Committee of Standing Committee B in respect of the Bill.
4 Pet Travel Scheme (Pilot Arrangements) (England) (Amendment) Order 2004,-The Committee of Selection has discharged Richard Burden, Mr David Lepper, Clare Short and Rachel Squire from the Seventh Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the Order) and nominated in substitution Mrs Ann Cryer, John Cryer, Llew Smith and Mr Michael Wills.
Grand Committees
5 The Speaker has appointed Mr James Cran Chairman of the Northern Ireland Grand Committee in respect of its meeting on Thursday 20th May.
APPENDIX III
Reports from Select Committees
1 Education and Skills,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education and Skills Committee [National Skills Strategy: 14-19 Education]; to be printed [No. 197-xii] [Mr Barry Sheerman].
2 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the GM Planting Regime Sub-Committee of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee [GM Planting Regime]; to be printed [No. 607-i] [Mr Michael Jack].
3 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions,-Minutes of Evidence taken before the Urban Affairs Sub-Committee of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee [The Role and Effectiveness of the Housing Corporation]; to be printed [No. 401-iv] [Clive Betts].
4 Public Accounts,-(1) Twenty-fifth Report from the Committee of Public Accounts [Managing resources to deliver better public services]; to be printed, together with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 181];
(2) Twenty-sixth Report from the Committee [Difficult Forms: How government departments interact with citizens]; to be printed, together with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 255];
(3) Twenty-seventh Report from the Committee [Identifying and tracking livestock in England]; to be printed, together with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 326];
(4) Twenty-eighth Report from the Committee [Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Trust Statement Report 2002-03]; to be printed, together with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 336]; and
(5) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [The Drug Treatment and Testing order: early lessons]; to be printed [No. 609-i]
|
