Votes and Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2003 - 04
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House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Tuesday 26th October 2004

The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1    Civil Partnership Bill [Lords],—Frank Cook reported from Standing Committee D, That it had gone through the Civil Partnership Bill [Lords], and made Amendments thereunto.
Bill, as amended in the Standing Committee, to be considered to-morrow; and to be printed [Bill 168]. Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to be printed [No. 1208].
2    Prepared Foods (Provision of Information),—Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require manufacturers and retailers of prepared foods to provide information about the content and nutritional quality of the foods: And that Helen Southworth, Mr David Stewart, Rosemary McKenna, David Taylor, Mrs Liz Blackman, Mr Colin Pickthall, Christine Russell, Linda Perham, Mr Khalid Mahmood, Dr Phyllis Starkey, Mr James Plaskitt and Mr George Howarth do prepare and bring it in.

3    Prepared Foods (Provision of Information) Bill,—Helen Southworth accordingly presented a Bill to require manufacturers and retailers of prepared foods to provide information about the content and nutritional quality of the foods: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 5th November and to be printed [Bill 167].

4    Programming of Bills,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That the House takes note of the Fourth Report of the Procedure Committee, on Programming of Legislation, HC 325, and the Government's Response thereto (published as the Committee's Fifth Special Report of the current Session, HC 1169); and makes the following provision:
That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, the Orders of the House of 28th June 2001 relating to Programming of Bills be Standing Orders of the House, with the following Amendments: (1) In Order A (Programme Motions), in paragraph (6), leave out 'or where paragraph (8) of Sessional Order B (Programming Committees) applies,'. (2) In Order A, in paragraph (10), leave out 'In an excepted case' and insert 'If any of the exceptions applies'. (3) In Order B (Programming Committees), leave out paragraphs (8) to (10). (4) In Order C (Programming Sub-Committees), in paragraph (1), after 'and', insert 'subject to paragraph (9A) of this order'. (5) In Order C, after paragraph (9), insert—
'(9A) a Minister of the Crown may make any motion in a standing committee which could have been the subject of a resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee; and for the purposes of this order the motion shall be treated as if it were in the terms of a resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee: provided that proceedings on such a motion shall lapse if any member of the committee signifies objection to it.'
(6) In Order D (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings in Standing Committee or in Committee of the whole House), in paragraph (2), after 'others)' insert 'in the same order as they would fall to be put if this order did not apply'; and in sub-paragraph (c), leave out 'division' and insert 'decision'. (7) In Order D, in paragraph (5), at end insert ', 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'. (8) In Order E (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration or third reading), in paragraph (2), after 'others)' insert 'in the same order as they would fall to be put if this order did not apply'; and in sub-paragraph (c), leave out 'division' and insert 'decision'—(Mr Peter Hain); An Amendment ((a)) was proposed to the Question, in line 4, after '1169)' to insert the words 'approves the recommendation in paragraph 52 of the Report relating to a statement of clauses and schedules not debated in standing committee'.—(Sir Nicholas Winterton.) And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made; The House divided.
Tellers for the Ayes, Sir Nicholas Winterton, Sir Robert Smith: 191.

Tellers for the Noes, Gillian Merron, Mr Vernon Coaker: 265.
So the Question was negatived. Another Amendment ((b)) was proposed to the Question, in line 8, at the end, to insert the words— '( ) In Order A (Programme Motions), leave out paragraph (1) and insert— "(1) A motion, of which notice has been given, providing for any proceedings on a bill to be programmed may be made at or after the second sitting of the House after the bill has been read a second time and the question shall be put—
(a) forthwith, if the motion stands in the name of members of three or more parties including a Minister of the Crown and a member of the party to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs; or

(b) not later than one hour after the commencement of proceedings on the motion, in any other case.
(1A) Before putting the question under sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) above, the Speaker shall put the question on any amendment to the motion which has been selected by him which may then be moved. (1B) Such a motion may also provide for committal of the bill (including the discharge of any order previously made in respect of the committal of the bill).".'.—(Sir Nicholas Winterton.) And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made; The House divided.
Tellers for the Ayes, Sir Nicholas Winterton, Sir Robert Smith: 174.

Tellers for the Noes, Gillian Merron, Mr Vernon Coaker: 271.
So the Question was negatived. It being after Six o'clock, the Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Order [yesterday], proceeded to put the Questions on the remaining Amendment, the Main Question, and on the Motions relating to Procedures for Debates, etc., Carry-over of Bills, Deferred Divisions, Short Speeches and Removal of References to Strangers. Another Amendment ((d)) was proposed to the Question, in line 22, at the end, to insert the words— '(5A) In Order D (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings in standing committee or in committee of the whole House), after paragraph (1), insert— "(1A) The chairman of a standing committee shall defer the putting of any question in accordance with a programme order by a period equal to that for which that sitting of the committee has been suspended owing to divisions in the House or in a committee of the whole House; and the chairman may also defer the putting of any such question by a period not exceeding a quarter of an hour if he considers it to be for the general convenience of the committee. Provided that if the time at which a question falls to be put is thereby deferred beyond the hour specified in the proviso to paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 88 (Meetings of standing committees), the question shall be put instead at the corresponding time after the commencement of the next sitting of the committee.".'.—(Sir Nicholas Winterton.) And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made; The House divided.
Tellers for the Ayes, Sir Nicholas Winterton, Sir Robert Smith: 182.

Tellers for the Noes, Gillian Merron, Mr Vernon Coaker: 257.
So the Question was negatived. And the Main Question being put; The House divided.
Tellers for the Ayes, Margaret Moran, Derek Twigg: 261.

Tellers for the Noes, Angela Watkinson, Sir Robert Smith: 173.

Resolved, That the House takes note of the Fourth Report of the Procedure Committee, on Programming of Legislation, HC 325, and the Government's Response thereto (published as the Committee's Fifth Special Report of the current Session, HC 1169).
Ordered, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, the Orders of the House of 28th June 2001 relating to Programming of Bills be Standing Orders of the House, with the following Amendments: (1) In Order A (Programme Motions), in paragraph (6), leave out 'or where paragraph (8) of Sessional Order B (Programming Committees) applies,'. (2) In Order A, in paragraph (10), leave out 'In an excepted case' and insert 'If any of the exceptions applies'. (3) In Order B (Programming Committees), leave out paragraphs (8) to (10). (4) In Order C (Programming Sub-Committees), in paragraph (1), after 'and', insert 'subject to paragraph (9A) of this order'. (5) In Order C, after paragraph (9), insert—
'(9A) a Minister of the Crown may make any motion in a standing committee which could have been the subject of a resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee; and for the purposes of this order the motion shall be treated as if it were in the terms of a resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee: provided that proceedings on such a motion shall lapse if any member of the committee signifies objection to it.'
(6) In Order D (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings in Standing Committee or in Committee of the whole House), in paragraph (2), after 'others)' insert 'in the same order as they would fall to be put if this order did not apply'; and in sub-paragraph (c), leave out 'division' and insert 'decision'. (7) In Order D, in paragraph (5), at end insert ', 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'. (8) In Order E (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration or third reading), in paragraph (2), after 'others)' insert 'in the same order as they would fall to be put if this order did not apply'; and in sub-paragraph (c), leave out 'division' and insert 'decision'
5    Procedures for Debates Etc.,—Resolved, That this House takes note of the Fourth Report of the Procedure Committee, Session 2002-03, on Procedures for Debates, Private Members' Bills and the Powers of the Speaker, HC 333, and the Government's Response thereto (published as the Committee's Second Special Report of the current Session, HC 610); and endorses the proposals for an experiment with shorter back-bench speeches set out in paragraphs 13 to 15 of the Committee's Report.—(Mr Phil Woolas.)
Ordered, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament until the end of the next but one Session of Parliament, the following Order be a Standing Order of the House: The Speaker may call Members between certain hours to speak for a specified maximum time (not being less than three minutes) and during this time the reference to eight minutes in paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 47 (Short speeches) and the provisions of paragraph (2) of that order shall not apply.—(Mr Phil Woolas.)
6    Deferred Divisions,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, the Order of the House of 28th June 2001 relating to Deferred Divisions be a Standing Order of the House—(Mr Phil Woolas);
The House divided.
Tellers for the Ayes, Margaret Moran, Derek Twigg: 300.

Tellers for the Noes, Angela Watkinson, Sir George Young: 130.
So the Question was agreed to.
7    Carry-over of Bills,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, the Order of the House of 29th October 2002 relating to Carry-over of Bills be a Standing Order of the House, with the following amendments:
(1) After paragraph (4), insert—
'(4A) a carry-over motion may be made only in respect of a bill presented by a Minister of the Crown.

(4B) the provisions of this order shall not apply to a carry-over motion made in respect of a bill brought from the Lords.'
(2) In paragraph (8)(a), after 'committed', insert 'to a standing committee', and leave out from first 'Session' to end of the sub-paragraph. (3) After paragraph (9) insert—
'(9A) A programme order relating to a bill which is carried over to the next session of Parliament shall continue to apply in the next session.'—(Mr Phil Woolas);

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Margaret Moran, Derek Twigg: 296.

Tellers for the Noes, Angela Watkinson, Mr Paul Goodman: 137.

So the Question was agreed to.

8    Short Speeches,—Ordered, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, Standing Order No. 47 (Short speeches) be amended by leaving out 'between certain hours' in line 4 of paragraph (1), and inserting 'at certain times'.—(Mr Phil Woolas.)

9    Removal of References to Strangers,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That, with effect from the beginning of the next Session of Parliament, the following amendments be made to the Standing Orders of the House:
No. 89 (Procedure in standing committees): in paragraph (2), leave out 'Strangers' and insert 'The public'; No. 125 (Strangers (select committees)): leave out the title and insert 'Select committees (admission of the public)'; and in paragraph (1), leave out 'strangers' and insert 'the public'; No. 149 (Committee on Standards and Privileges): in paragraph (8), leave out 'strangers' and insert 'the public'; No. 161 (Duties of Serjeant at Arms with respect to strangers): in the title, leave out 'strangers' and insert 'the public'; in paragraph (1), leave out 'stranger' in the two places where it appears and insert 'member of the public' in each place, and leave out 'strangers' and insert 'the public'; and in paragraph (2), leave out 'strangers' and insert 'members of the public'. No. 162 (Places to which strangers are not admitted): in the title, leave out 'strangers' and insert 'the public'; and, in the Standing Order, leave out 'stranger' and insert 'member of the public'—(Mr Phil Woolas);
The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Paul Clark, Mr Jim Murphy: 242.

Tellers for the Noes, Angela Watkinson, Mr Paul Goodman: 167.

So the Question was agreed to.

10    Adjournment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn—(Mr John Heppell);
And the Motion having been made after Seven o'clock, and Debate having continued for half an hour, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order, it being then eighteen minutes to Eight o'clock, till to-morrow. [Adjourned at 7.42 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    Medicines,—Medicines (Products for Animal Use—Fees) Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 2750), dated 21st October 2004 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

Other Papers:

2    Government Resources and Accounts,—Report and Accounts of the Public Guardianship Office for 2003-04, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 754] [Mr David Lammy].

APPENDIX II

Reports from Select Committees

1    Constitutional Affairs,—(1) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Constitutional Affairs Committee [Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act]; to be printed [No. 1060-iv]; and

(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act]; to be printed [No. 1060-II]

[Mr A. J. Beith].

2    Culture, Media and Sport,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee [BBC Charter Renewal]; to be printed [No. 598-ix] [Sir Gerald Kaufman].

3    Foreign Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Committee [Western Balkans]; to be printed [No. 1121-iii] [Mr Donald Anderson].

4    Home Affairs,—(1) Fifth Report from the Home Affairs Committee [Draft Sentencing Guidelines 1 and 2], with Appendices; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 1207]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Police Reform]; to be printed [No. 1038-iv]

[Mr John Denham].

5    Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions,—(1) Thirteenth Report from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee [Gypsy and Traveller Sites], 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. 633-I]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [ODPM Annual Report and Accounts 2004]; to be printed [No. 1116-i]

[Andrew Bennett].

6    Regulatory Reform,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Regulatory Reform Committee [Proposal for the Regulatory Reform (Registration of Births and Deaths) (England and Wales) Order 2004]; to be printed [No. 1201-i] [Mr Peter Pike].

7    Statutory Instruments,—Thirty-first Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, together with Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be printed [No. 82-xxxi] [Mr David Tredinnick].

8    Trade and Industry,—(1) Tenth Report from the Trade and Industry Committee [Post Office Urban Network Reinvention Revisited]; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 1204];

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [The DTI: Structure, Aims and Resources; Progress towards the knowledge driven economy]; to be printed [No. 1205-I and 262-vii]; and

(3) Memoranda laid before the Committee [ECGD and the BTC pipeline project]

[Mr Martin O'Neill].

9    Treasury,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Treasury Committee [Credit card charges and marketing]; to be printed [No. 1177-ii] [Mr John McFall].

[W.H., No. 92]

Minutes of Proceedings of the Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting commenced at half-past Nine o'clock.
Adjournment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned—(Phil Hope);
And the sitting having continued for two and a half hours after Two o'clock, it was adjourned without Question put, till to-morrow.

[Adjourned at 4.30 p.m.

Sir Alan Haselhurst

Deputy Speaker



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