The House met at half-past Two o'clock.

1    Osborne Estate Bill,—The Order for reading the Osborne Estate Bill a second time on Friday 20th October was read and discharged.

Bill withdrawn.

2    Gambling Act 2005 (Amendment),—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Gambling Act 2005 to allow for increased provision of casinos; and for connected purposes—(Mr Jim Cunningham);

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).

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Tom Clarke, Mr Jim Devine: 55.

Tellers for the Noes, Mike Penning, Mr Christopher Chope: 240.

So the Question was negatived.

3    Companies Bill [Lords] (Programme) (No. 3),—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That the Order of 6th June 2006 (Company Law Reform Bill [Lords] (Programme)) be varied as follows:

1. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Order shall be omitted.

2. Proceedings on consideration and Third Reading shall be completed in three days.

3. Proceedings on consideration shall be taken on each of those days as shown in the first column of the Table and in the order so shown.

4. Each part of those proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the time specified in relation to it in the second column of the Table.

5. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at 6.00 p.m. on the third day.

          —(Margaret Hodge);

Tellers for the Ayes, Tony Cunningham, Mr Dave Watts: 303.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Henry Bellingham, Mr David Evennett: 231.

4    Companies Bill [Lords] (changed from Company Law Reform Bill [Lords]) [1st allocated day],—The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Companies Bill [Lords] (changed from Company Law Reform Bill [Lords]), as amended in the Standing Committee.

A Clause (NC4) (Duty to promote the success of the company (No. 2))—(Patrick Hall)—brought up, and read the first time.

Question proposed, That the Clause be read a second time:—Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendment (No. 389) proposed to the Bill, in page 78, line 23, to leave out subsection (3).—(Mr Jonathan Djanogly.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made.

And it being Seven o'clock, the Deputy Speaker put the Question already proposed from the Chair, pursuant to Order [this day]:—It was negatived.

The Deputy Speaker then put the Question on an Amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision.

Another Amendment (No. 402) proposed to the Bill, in page 80, line 4, to leave out paragraph (a) and insert the words—

'(a) if the director reasonably and in good faith believes the situation is not likely to give rise to a conflict of interest; or'.—(Mr Jonathan Djanogly.)

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr David Evennett, Angela Watkinson: 210.

Tellers for the Noes, Liz Blackman, Huw Irranca-Davies: 305.

Amendment (No. 162) made to the Bill.

Another Clause (NC72) (Loans to directors: requirement of members' approval)—(Margaret Hodge)—brought up, read the first and second time, and added to the Bill.

Another Clause (NC73) (Quasi-loans to directors: requirement of members' approval)—(Margaret Hodge)—brought up, read the first and second time, and added to the Bill.

Another Clause (NC74) (Loans or quasi-loans to persons connected with directors: requirement of members' approval)—(Margaret Hodge)—brought up, read the first and second time, and added to the Bill.

Another Amendment (No. 761) proposed to the Bill, in page 71, line 10, at the end, to insert the words 'and domiciled in the United Kingdom'.—(Mr Austin Mitchell.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made:—Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Another Amendment (No. 255) proposed to the Bill, in page 74, line 6, to leave out from the word 'company' to the end of line 7 and insert the words—

'(2A) The register must be kept available for inspection—

(a) at the company's registered office, or

(b) at a place specified in regulations under section (Regulations about where certain company records to be kept available for inspection).'.—(Margaret Hodge.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made.

And it being half past Eight o'clock, the Deputy Speaker put the Question already proposed from the Chair:—It was agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker then put the Question on the Amendments moved by a Minister of the Crown to be disposed of at that hour.

Other Amendments (Nos. 256 to 258, 715, 716, 770, 717, 488, 591, 489, 592, 593, 490, 594, 491, 595 to 598, 613, 163, 164, 599 to 611, 492, 493, 165, 494, 644, 166, 612, 167, 259, 168, 169, 260, 645, 677, 646 and 614) made to the Bill.

Another Amendment (No. 170) made to the Bill.

Another Amendment (No. 412) proposed to the Bill, in page 121, line 21, to leave out the words 'or proposed'.—(Mr Jonathan Djanogly.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made:—Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Another Amendment (No. 415) proposed to the Bill, in page 121, line 33, at the end, to insert the words—

'(6) A derivative claim under this Chapter may only be brought if the directors have been requested by a member of the company to bring a claim in respect of an act or omission specified in subsection (3) and have not agreed to the request after the expiry of a reasonable period from service of the request.'.—(Mr Jonathan Djanogly.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr David Evennett, Andrew Rosindell: 191.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Michael Foster, Huw Irranca-Davies: 287.

Another Amendment (No. 171) made to the Bill.

Bill to be further considered to-morrow.

5    Landlord and Tenant,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 18 (Consideration of draft regulatory reform orders), That the draft Regulatory Reform (Agricultural Tenancies) (England and Wales) Order 2006, which was laid before this House on 5th July, be approved.—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

6    Delegated Legislation,—Ordered, That the Strategic Health Authorities (Establishment and Abolition) (England) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 1408), dated 25th May 2006, and the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (Cm 6918) be referred to Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation.—(Mr Alan Campbell.)

7    Adjournment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn—(Mr Alan Campbell);

And the Motion having been made at Ten o'clock, and the Debate having continued for half an hour, the Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order, till to-morrow.

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    Animals,—Avian Influenza (Vaccination) (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2703), dated 11th October 2006 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary David Miliband].

2    Clean Air,—Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2704), dated 11th October 2006 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary David Miliband].

3    Food,—(1) Curd Cheese (Restriction on Placing on the Market) (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2787), dated 16th October 2006; and

(2) Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2687), dated 9th October 2006

[by Act], with Explanatory Memoranda thereon [by Command] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].

4    Immigration,—(1) Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (Fast Track Procedure) (Amendment) Rules 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2789); and

(2) Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (Procedure) (Amendment) Rules 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 2788),

dated 13th October 2006 [by Act], with Explanatory Memoranda thereon [by Command] [Bridget Prentice].

Other Papers:

5    Foreign Affairs,—Government Response to the Seventh Report from the Foreign Affairs Committee, Session 2005-06, on East Asia [by Command] [Cm. 6944] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

6    Health,—Government Response to the Third Report from the Health Committee, Session 2005-06, on NHS Charges [by Command] [Cm. 6922] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].

7    Work and Pensions,—Report by the Department for Work and Pensions for 2006 [by Command] [Cm. 6915-I and -II] [Mr Secretary Hutton].

APPENDIX II

Reports from Select Committees

1    Administration,—Record of the Committee's discussions at its meeting on 17th October [Mr Frank Doran].

2    Communities and Local Government,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Communities and Local Government Committee [Coastal Towns]; to be printed [No. 1023-iv] [Dr Phyllis Starkey].

3    Constitutional Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Constitutional Affairs Committee [Department for Constitutional Affairs: DCA Departmental Report 2005-06]; to be printed [No. 1665-i] [Mr Alan Beith].

4    Conventions,—Memoranda laid before the Joint Committee on Conventions [Sir Malcolm Rifkind].

5    Crossrail Bill,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on the Crossrail Bill; to be printed [No. 837-lx] [Mr Alan Meale].

6    Culture, Media and Sport,—(1) Second Special Report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee [Women's Football: replies to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2005-06]; to be printed [No. 1646]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [New Media and the Creative Industries]; to be printed [No. 1091-vi]

[John Whittingdale].

7    Environmental Audit Committee,—(1) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environmental Audit Committee [The Kyoto Protocol: Beyond 2012]; to be printed [No. 1666-i];

(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [The Kyoto Protocol: Beyond 2012]; to be printed [No. 1666];

(3) Memorandum laid before the Committee [Pre-Budget 2005: Tax, economic analysis, and climate change]; and

(4) Memorandum laid before the Committee [Sustainable Procurement: The Way Forward]

[Mr Tim Yeo].

8    International Development,—Sixth Report from the International Development Committee [Conflict and Development: Peacebuilding and Post-conflict Reconstruction], 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. 923-I and -II] [Malcolm Bruce].

9    Public Administration,—(1) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Public Administration [Governing the Future]; to be printed [No. 756-v]; and

(2) Letter laid before the Committee [Debt of Honour]

[Dr Tony Wright].

10    Trade and Industry,—(1) Fourteenth Special Report from the Trade and Industry Committee [Response to the Fourth Report from the Committee, on New Nuclear? Examining the issues]; to be printed [No. 1663]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Local Energy Generation]; to be printed [No. 1664-i]

[Peter Luff].

11    Treasury,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Treasury Committee [Globalisation: Its impact on the real economy]; to be printed [No. 1218-iii] [Mr John McFall].

12    Welsh Affairs,—(1) Fifth Special Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee [Energy in Wales: Government Response to the Committee's Third Report of Session 2005-06]; to be printed [No. 1656]; and

(2) Sixth Special Report from the Committee [Future of RAF St Athan: Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2005-06]; to be printed [No. 1657]

[Dr Hywel Francis].

[W.H., No. 127]

Minutes of Proceedings of the Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting began at half-past Nine o'clock.

And accordingly the sitting was adjourned till to-morrow.

Sir Alan Haselhurst

Deputy Speaker