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

1    Greater London Authority Bill,—Mr Edward O'Hara reported from the Greater London Authority Bill Committee that it had come to the following Resolution:

That, subject to the discretion of the Chair, any memoranda received by the Committee shall be reported to the House for publication.

Memoranda to lie upon the table and to be published.

2    Third Delegated Legislation Committee,—Mr Martyn Jones reported from the Third Delegated Legislation Committee the draft Street Works (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007.

3    European Standing Committee,—Mr Eric Martlew reported from a European Standing Committee the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 11902/06 and Addendum 1, Commission Communication: A thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides, No. 11896/06 and Addenda 1 and 2, draft Directive establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides, and No. 11755/06 and Addenda 1 to 12, draft regulation concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market; and agrees with the Government's proposed negotiating position relating to the thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides and the authorisation of plant protection products.

Resolution to lie upon the Table.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.

4    Human Rights Act 1998 (Meaning of Public Authority),—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to clarify the meaning of 'public authority' in section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998—(Mr Andrew Dismore);

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 Mr Andrew Dismore, Nia Griffith, Mary Creagh, Dr Evan Harris, Mr Douglas Carswell, Ms Karen Buck, Clive Efford, Angela Eagle, Joan Ruddock and Mr Paul Burstow do prepare and bring in the Bill.

5    Human Rights Act 1998 (Meaning of Public Authority) Bill,—Mr Andrew Dismore accordingly presented a Bill to clarify the meaning of 'public authority' in section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 15th June and to be printed [Bill 43].

6    Welfare Reform Bill (Programme) (No. 3),—Ordered, That the Order of 24th July 2006 (Welfare Reform Bill (Programme)) be varied as follows:

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

2. Proceedings on consideration shall be taken in the order shown in the first column of the following Table.

3. The proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at this day's sitting at the times specified in the second column of the Table.

4. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at 10 p.m. at this Day's Sitting—(Mr Jim Murphy).

7    Welfare Reform Bill,—The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Welfare Reform Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee.

A Clause (NC3) (Assessment of limited capability for work)—(Danny Alexander)—brought up and read the first time.

Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Jeremy Browne, Jenny Willott: 226.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Frank Roy, Mr Dave Watts: 307.

Another Clause (NC7) (Participation in work-focused interviews)—(Mr David Ruffley)—brought up and read the first time.

Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr David Evennett, Mr Tobias Ellwood: 219.

Tellers for the Noes, Tony Cunningham, Mr Ian Cawsey: 294.

An Amendment (No. 79) proposed to the Bill, in page 6, line 28, to leave out the words 'medical examination' and insert the word 'assessment' instead thereof.—(Roger Berry.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made.

And it being Eight o'clock, the Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No. 80A (Carry-over of Bills) and Orders [24th July and this day], put the Question already proposed from the Chair:—It was negatived.

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

Amendments (Nos.7 to 11 and 13 to 47) made to the Bill.

Another Amendment (No. 48) proposed to the Bill, in page 20, line 16, at the end, to insert the words—

'( ) The AMHB shall vary only for those aged under 21.'.—(Mr Andrew Love.)

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

And it being Nine o'clock, the Deputy Speaker put forthwith the Question on an Amendment selected for separate decision.

Another Amendment (No. 5) proposed to the Bill, in page 20, line 33, at the end, to insert the words—

'( ) The Appropriate Maximum Housing Benefit may not vary according to the age of the claimant.'.—(Danny Alexander.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Adrian Sanders, Mr Jeremy Browne: 70.

Tellers for the Noes, Claire Ward, Huw Irranca-Davies: 286.

The Deputy Speaker then put forthwith the Question on the remaining Amendment moved by a Minister of the Crown.

Amendment (No. 12) made to the Bill.

The Bill was read the third time, and passed.

8    Delegated Legislation,—Ordered, That the Motion in the name of Mr Jack Straw relating to the Electoral Commission shall be treated as if it related to an instrument subject to the provisions of Standing Order No. 118 (Delegated Legislation Committees) in respect of which notice has been given that the instrument be approved.—(Liz Blackman.)

9    Public Petitions,—Public Petitions from—

(1) residents of Bexley and neighbouring areas against the exemption of the judiciary and tribunals from Section 19B of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000;

(2) supporters of Jamil el-Banna for his return from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the United Kingdom; and

(3) Skegness Hoteliers Association, Skegness Chamber of Commerce and others against proposals for to introduce a Bed Tax on the United Kingdom tourist industry

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

10    Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Liz Blackman.)

And accordingly, the House, having continued to sit till half-past Ten o'clock, adjourned 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 Affirmative Resolution:

1    Housing,—Draft Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Anti-social Behaviour Order Functions) (England) Order 2007 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Ruth Kelly].

2    Northern Ireland,—Draft Taxis (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Hain].

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

3    Excise,—Air Passenger Duty (Rate) (Qualifying Territories) Order 2007 (S.I., 2007, No. 22), dated 9th January 2007 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [John Healey].

4    Health and Safety,—Carriage of Explosives (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. (N.I.), 2006, No. 520), dated 13th December 2006 [by Statutory Instrument], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Mr Secretary Hain].

5    Stamp Duty Reserve Tax,—Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (UK Depositary Interest in Foreign Securities) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I., 2007, No. 12), dated 8th January 2007 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Ed Balls].

Other Papers:

6    National Health Service,—Report and Accounts of the National Patient Safety Agency for 2005-06, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 116] [Ms Secretary Hewitt].

7    Public Petitions,—Observations by—

(1) the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the Petition [28th November] from the North Hertfordshire Free Tibet Support Group for measures to encourage dialogue between the Tibetan government in exile and the government of China; and

(2) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Petition [18th December] from Mrs Caroline Gibbs and other customers of Creaton Post Office for the continuation of the subsidy for rural post offices and for the retention of the Post Office Card Account

[by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].

8    Statutory Instruments (Notification),—Communication declaring that the undermentioned Statutory Instrument had come into operation before copies were laid before Parliament, and explaining why such copies had not been so laid before the Instruments came into operation:

Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007, (S.I., 2007, No. 3)

[by Standing Order] [The Speaker].

APPENDIX II

General Committees

1    Draft Street Works (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Bob Ainsworth, Mark Durkin, Mr John Heppell, Mr Alan Milburn, The Reverend Ian Paisley, Ian Stewart and Lynda Waltho from the Third Delegated Legislation Committee (nominated in respect of the draft Order) and nominated in substitution Sir Gerald Kaufman, Mr David Kidney, Dr Alasdair McDonnell, Dan Norris, Joan Ruddock, Mr Michael Wills and Sammy Wilson.

2    European Union Documents No. 11902/06 and Addendum 1 and No. 11896/06 and Addenda 1 and 2 relating to the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, and No. 11755/06 and Addenda 1 to 12 relating to Authorisation of Plant Protection Products,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Anne Moffat from the European Standing Committee (nominated in respect of the Documents and Addenda) and nominated in substitution Mr Wayne David.

European Standing Committees

3    Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum dated 2nd November 2006, submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, relating to the EU-China relationship, referred to European Standing Committee B on 7th November in the last Session of Parliament, has been replaced by European Union Documents No. 14381/06, Commission Communication: EU-China: Closer partners, growing responsibilities, and No. 14823/06, Policy paper on EU trade and investment: Competition and Partnership.

APPENDIX III

Reports from Select Committees

1    Communities and Local Government,—The Work of the Committee, 2005-06: First Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee, with an Appendix; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 198] [Dr Phyllis Starkey]

2    Culture, Media and Sport,—Caring for our collections: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee; to be printed [No.176-ii] [Mr John Whittingdale].

3    Environmental Audit,—(1) Pre-Budget 2005: Tax, economic analysis and climate change: Government Response to the Fourth Report from the Committee, Session 2005-06: First Special Report from the Environmental Audit Committee; to be printed [No.195];

(2) Keeping the Lights on: Nuclear, Renewables and Climate Change: Government Response to the Sixth Report from the Committee, Session 2005-06: Second Special Report from the Committee; to be printed [No.196]; and

(3) Trade, Development and the Environment: the role of DfID: Government Response to the Tenth Report from the Committee, Session 2005-06: Third Special Report from the Committee; to be printed [No.197]

[Mr Tim Yeo].

4    Home Affairs,—Justice and Home Affairs Issues at European Union Level: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Home Affairs Committee; to be printed [No.76-iii] [Mr John Denham].

5    Trade and Industry,—Trade and Investment Opportunities with Mercosur: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Trade and Industry Committee; to be printed [No. 208-i] [Mr Peter Luff]

[W.H., No. 10]

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