Votes and Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2005 - 06
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House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Wednesday 23rd November 2005

The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1    Climate Change (Contraction and Convergence) Bill,—Colin Challen presented a Bill to make provision for the adoption of a policy of combating climate change in accordance with the principles of contraction and convergence; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 14th July and to be printed [Bill 92].

2    Registration Service,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about certain offices under the Registration Service Act 1953; to make provision about the holders of certain offices under that Act and the appointment of persons to such offices; and for connected purposes—(Dr Brian Iddon);

And the Motion being opposed, after a brief explanatory statement from the Member who made the Motion and from a Member who opposed it, the Speaker put the Question, pursuant to Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to bring in bills and nomination of select committees at commencement of public business):—It was agreed to

Ordered, That Dr Brian Iddon, Mr David Anderson, Mary Creagh, Jim Dobbin, Kelvin Hopkins and Mr David Kidney do prepare and bring in the Bill.

3    Registration Service Bill,—Dr Brian Iddon accordingly presented a Bill to make provision about certain offices under the Registration Service Act 1953; to make provision about the holders of certain offices under that Act and the appointment of persons to such offices; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 2nd December and to be printed [Bill 78].

4    Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill,—The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill;

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time;

An Amendment was proposed to the Question, to leave out from the word 'That' to the end of the Question and add the words 'this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill because it creates an amnesty for terrorist fugitives from justice; because it allows such fugitives to return to Northern Ireland without ever being arrested or questioned by the police about their alleged offences; because it proposes a quasi-judicial process in which those accused of perpetrating terrorist offences will never have to appear before a court or spend any time in custody; because it allows an indefinite period of time for terrorists to take advantage of this procedure; because it treats members of the Armed Forces and the police on a par with terrorists; because it fails to contain an obligation on terrorist organisations to allow the safe return to Northern Ireland of those they have exiled; and because it places the rights of those suspected of serious offences before those of the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland and throughout the rest of the United Kingdom', instead thereof.—(Mr David Lidington.)

And the Question being proposed, That the Amendment be made;

5    Deferred Divisions,—The Deputy Speaker announced the results of the Division which had been deferred to this day, pursuant to Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions):

Criminal Law,—That the draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 12 and Transitory Provisions) Order 2005, which was laid before this House on 27th October, be approved.

Ayes: 261.

Noes: 211.

So the Question was agreed to.

6    Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill,—The Question being again proposed, That the Amendment be made;

And the Question being put;

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Crispin Blunt, Andrew Stunell: 258.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Ian Cawsey, Mr Frank Roy: 313.

So the Question was negatived.

And the Main Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 62 (Amendment on second or third reading);

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Ian Cawsey, Mr Frank Roy: 310.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Nigel Dodds, Mrs Iris Robinson: 262.

So the Question was agreed to.

The Bill was accordingly read a second time.

7    Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill (Programme),—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 83A (Programme motions), That the following provisions shall apply to the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill:

Committal

1. The Bill shall be committed to a Standing Committee.

Proceedings in Standing Committee

2. Proceedings in the Standing Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 15th December 2005.

3. The Standing Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

4. Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

5. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

6. Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

7. Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the Lords) may be programmed—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

8    Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill [Money],—Her Majesty's Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill [Money];

A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 52 (Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State by virtue of the Act—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

9    Capital Gains Tax,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Tax and Civil Partnership Regulations 2005, which were laid before this House on 24th October, be approved—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

10    Corporation Tax,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Tax and Civil Partnership (No. 2) Regulations 2005, which were laid before this House on 24th October, be approved—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

11    Public Petitions,—Public Petitions from—

(1) residents of Reading and others against extreme internet sites promoting violence against women;

(2) residents of Brighton and Hove and others against extreme internet sites promoting violence against women; and

(3) supporters of the Isitfair Council Tax protest campaign for a fair and equitable replacement for council tax

were presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.

12    Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Alan Campbell.)

And accordingly, the House, having continued to sit till Eight o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 8 p.m.
Michael J. Martin

Speaker

Mr Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Ten o'clock.

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1    Criminal Law,—Draft Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Amendment) Order 2005 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Clarke].

2    Electronic Communications,—Draft Communications Act 2003 (Maximum Penalty and Disclosure of Information) Order 2005 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Alan Johnson].

3    International Immunities and Privileges,—Draft International Criminal Court (Immunities and Privileges) Order 2005 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Straw].

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

4    Environmental Protection,—Litter (Fixed Penalty Notices) Order 1991 and the Dog Fouling (Fixed Penalties) Order 1996 (Revocation) (England) Order 2005 (S.I., 2005, No. 3223), dated 21st November 2005 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

5    National Health Service,—West Suffolk Hospitals National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2005 (S.I., 2005, No. 3206), dated 15th November 2005 [by Act] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].

6    Pensions,—Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2005 (S.I., 2005, No. 3199), dated 15th November 2005 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Prescott].

Other Papers:

7    Brazil (No. 1, 2005),—Agreement, done at Brasilia on 27th July 2005, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil to avoid the Double Taxation of profits derived from Shipping and Air Transport, with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Cm. 6698] [Mr Secretary Straw].

8    Government Resources and Accounts,—Resource Accounts of the Department for Education and Skills for 2004-05, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 686] [John Healey].

9    Police Reform,—Report and Accounts of the Independent Police Complaints Commission for 2004-05, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 608] [Mr Secretary Clarke].

APPENDIX II

Standing Committees

1    Draft Asylum (Designated States) (No. 2) Order 2005,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr David Hamilton, Mr Dai Havard, Sir Gerald Kaufman and Dr Doug Naysmith from the Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the draft Order) and nominated in substitution Mr George Howarth, Steve McCabe, Emily Thornberry and Lynda Waltho.

2    Draft European Forest Institute (Legal Capacities) Order 2005,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Frank Dobson and Mr Alan Meale from the Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the draft Order) and nominated in substitution Ann Coffey and Mr Andy Reed.

    European Standing Committees

3    The Speaker has appointed Mr Edward O'Hara Chairman of the European Standing Committee in respect of European Union Document No. 12790/05 on Reducing the Climate Change Impact of Aviation in place of Mr Eric Martlew.

4    European Union Document No. 14246/05, relating to the European Evidence Warrant, has been referred to European Standing Committee B, in place of European Union Document No. 11288/05 referred to the Committee on 9th November 2005.

APPENDIX III

Reports from Select Committees

1    Environmental Audit,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environmental Audit Committee [Keeping the Lights on: Nuclear, Renewables and Climate Change]; to be printed [No. 584-viii] [Mr Peter Ainsworth].

2    European Scrutiny,—(1) Eleventh Report from the European Scrutiny Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 34-xi]; and

(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [Ministerial Correspondence]

[Jimmy Hood].

3    Foreign Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Committee [Human Rights Annual Report 2005]; to be printed [No. 574-ii] [Mike Gapes].

4    Public Accounts,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts [Home Office: Working with the Third Sector]; to be printed [No. 717-i] [Mr Edward Leigh].

5    Science and Technology,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee [Forensic Science on Trial: follow-up]; to be printed [No. 685-i] [Mr Phil Willis].

6    Statutory Instruments,—Tenth Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, together with Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be printed [No. 35-x] [Mr Eric Forth].

7    Transport,—(1) First Report from the Transport Committee [UK Transport Security-preliminary report], to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 637]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Train Fares and Ticketing]; to be printed [No. 700-i]

[Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].

8    Work and Pensions,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Work and Pensions Committee [Department Annual Report]; to be printed [No. 615] [Mr Terry Rooney].

[W.H., No. 41]

Minutes of Proceedings of the Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting began at half-past Nine o'clock.
Adjournment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned—(Mr John Heppell);
And the sitting having continued for two and a half hours after half-past Two o'clock, it was adjourned without Question put, till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 5 p.m.
Sir Alan Haselhurst

Deputy Speaker



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