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

1    Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill,—Mr Secretary Hain, supported by the Prime Minister, Secretary Margaret Beckett, Secretary John Reid, Secretary Des Browne, Paul Goggins and Bridget Prentice presented a Bill to make provision about justice and security in Northern Ireland: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow and to be printed [Bill 10].

Ordered, That the Explanatory Notes relating to the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill be printed [Bill 10-EN].

2    Queen's Speech (Motion for an Address),—The Order of the Day being read, for resuming the adjourned Debate on the Question proposed on 15th November, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, Your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament;

And the Question being again proposed:—The House resumed the adjourned Debate.

Another Amendment was proposed to the Question, at the end, to add the words 'but humbly regret that the Gracious Speech does not contain measures to address Britain's declining productivity growth since 1997; deplore the absence of measures to give the UK the right skills to take advantage of new global opportunities; further regret the absence of strong and binding measures to tackle climate change and environmental degradation; condemn the absence of measures to ensure real improvements in the public services and greater value for money for taxpayers; and further regret the absence of measures in the Gracious Speech to tackle the pensions crisis to which Government policy has contributed.'.—(Mr George Osborne.)

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

Tellers for the Ayes, Michael Fabricant, Mr Mark Lancaster: 229.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Frank Roy, Jonathan Shaw: 294.

Another Amendment was proposed to the Question, at the end, to add the words 'but humbly regret that the Gracious Speech fails to announce proposals for a strategy for Iraq providing for a phased withdrawal of United Kingdom armed forces; deplore the further erosion of traditional British freedoms that will result from the Government's proposals on security and terrorism, increasing intrusion into private lives without commensurate improvements in public safety or the repeal of existing and unnecessary laws and regulations; and further regret that the measures proposed to address global warming lack ambition and are not sufficient to establish the United Kingdom as a world leader in combating climate change.'.—(Mr Paul Burstow.)

And the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 33 (Calling of amendments at end of debate), That the Amendment be made;

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Jeremy Browne, Paul Rowen: 59.

Tellers for the Noes, Jonathan Shaw, Mr Frank Roy: 298.

And the Main Question being put;

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Frank Roy, Jonathan Shaw: 295.

Tellers for the Noes, Michael Fabricant, Mr Mark Lancaster: 221.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, Your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

Address to be presented to Her Majesty by such Members of this House as are of Her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council or of Her Majesty's Household.

3    Adjournment (Christmas),—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 25 (Periodic adjournments), That this House, at its rising on Tuesday 19th December 2006, do adjourn till Monday 8th January 2007—(Kevin Brennan):—It was agreed to.

4    Sittings of the House,—Ordered, That, on Tuesday 19th December,—

(1) the House shall sit at half past Eleven o'clock and references to specific times in the Standing Orders of this House shall apply as if that day were a Wednesday; and

(2) there shall be no sitting in Westminster Hall.—(Kevin Brennan.)

5    Foreign Affairs,—Ordered, That Mr John Maples be discharged from the Foreign Affairs Committee and Mr Malcolm Moss be added.—(Rosemary McKenna, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)

6    Defence,—Ordered, That Mr Mark Lancaster be discharged from the Defence Committee and Mr Bernard Jenkin be added.—(Rosemary McKenna, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)

7    Science and Technology,—Ordered, That Margaret Moran be discharged from the Science and Technology Committee and Mr Graham Stringer be added.—(Rosemary McKenna, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)

8    Public Petitions,—Public Petitions from—

(1) residents of Bingley and the surrounding area for the retention of a post office in Bingley;

(2) residents of the Borough of Hartlepool and others for the implementation of the recommendations made by Professor Darzi in respect of maternity and paediatric services in Teesside; and

(3) residents of West Dorset for the maintenance of the Post Office Card Account and the rural post office network

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

9    Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Frank Roy.)

And accordingly, the House, having continued to sit till fourteen minutes past Eleven o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.

Michael J. Martin

Speaker

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

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 24th November 2006 pursuant to Standing Order No. 158 (Presentation of command papers):

1    Education and Skills,—Department for Education and Skills Minute, dated 24th November 2006, concerning the gifting of Assistive Communication Technology Equipment, purchased as part of the Government Funded Communications Aids Project [Secretary Alan Johnson].

2    European Communities (No. 2, 2006),—Protocol, done at Brussels on 12th March 1999, drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, on the scope of the laundering of proceeds in the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes and the inclusion of the registration number of the means of transport in the Convention, with an Explanatory Memorandum [Cm. 6986] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 24th November 2006 pursuant to Standing Order No. 159 (Presentation of statutory instruments):

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

3    Civil Aviation,—Single European Sky (Functions of the National Supervisory Authority) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3104), dated 21st November 2006, with an Explanatory Memorandum [Mr Secretary Alexander].

4    Local Government,—(1) Local Authorities (Categorisation) (England) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3096); and

(2) Local Government (Best Value Authorities) (Power to Trade) (Amendment) (England) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3102),

dated 17th November 2006, with Explanatory Memoranda thereon [Secretary Ruth Kelly].

5    Pensions,—Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3086), dated 20th November 2006, with an Explanatory Memorandum [Mr Secretary Hutton].

6    Sexual Orientation Discrimination,—Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. (N.I.), 2006, No. 439), dated 8th November 2006, with an Explanatory Memorandum [Mr Secretary Hain].

7    Social Security,—Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3088), dated 16th November 2006, with an Explanatory Memorandum [Mr Secretary Hutton].

Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 27th November 2006:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

8    Forestry,—Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3106), dated 22nd November 2006 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary David Miliband].

9    National Lottery,—Transformational Grants Joint Scheme (Revocation) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3146), dated 22nd November 2006 [by Act] [Secretary Tessa Jowell].

10    Pensions,—Occupational Pension Schemes (Levy Ceiling—Earnings Percentage Increase) Order 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3105), dated 21st November 2006 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Hutton].

11    Supreme Court,—Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2006 (S.I., 2006, No. 3132 (L.13)), dated 23rd November 2006 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Ms Harriet Harman].

Other Papers:

12    National Audit,—Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Jobcentre Plus: Delivering effective services through Personal Advisers [by Act]; to be printed [No. 24] [Clerk of the House].

13    Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions,—(1) Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions (Hong Kong Locally Engaged Ratings Service Gratuities and Attributable Disablement and Death Awards) Order 2006; and

(2) Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions (Maltese Naval Locally Engaged Personnel Disablement Awards) Order 2006,

dated 14th November 2006 [by Act] [Ms Harriet Harman].

14    Public Petitions,—Observations by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the Petition [1st November] from residents of Brighton and others for the investigation of attacks on and killing of gay people in Iraq by the Badr Death Squads [by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].

Papers withdrawn:

15    Cinemas and Film,—Draft Films (Definition of "British Film") (No. 2) Order 2006 [laid 23rd November].

APPENDIX II

Reports from Select Committees

1    Communities and Local Government,—Department for Communities and Local Government Annual Report 2006:

(1) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Communities and Local Government Committee; to be printed [No. 106-i]; and

(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be published

[Dr Phyllis Starkey.].

2    Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,—The Rural Payments Agency: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Rural Payments Agency Sub-Committee of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee; to be printed [No. 107-i] [Mr Michael Jack].

3    Public Accounts,—(1) Improving literacy and numeracy in schools: Second Report from the Committee of Public Accounts; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report; [No. 108];

(2) Collections management in the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland: Third Report from the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 109];

(3) Gas distribution networks: Ofgem's role in their sale, restructuring and future regulation: Fourth Report from the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 110];

(4) Postcomm and the quality of mail services: Fifth Report from the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 111];

(5) Gaining and retaining a job: the Department for Work and Pensions' support for disabled people: Sixth Report from the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 112]; and

(6) Delivering successful IT-enabled business change: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed [No. 113-i]

[Mr Edward Leigh].