Votes and Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Wednesday 13th May 1998

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

PRAYERS.

1 Adjournment,--A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn--(Ms Joyce Quin);

    And it being Two o'clock, the Motion for the adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

2 Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,--Mr Bowen Wells reported from the Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Cash Ratio Deposits (Value Bands and Ratios) Order 1998 and the draft Bank of England (Information Powers) Order 1998.

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

3 Message from the Lords,--A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:

    The Lords have agreed to the Animal Health (Amendment) Bill, without Amendment.

4 Registration of Political Parties Bill,--Mr Secretary Straw, supported by the Prime Minister, Mr Secretary Prescott, Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Margaret Beckett, Mr Secretary Dewar, Mr Secretary Davies and Mr George Howarth, presented a Bill to make provision about the registration of political parties: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow and to be printed [Bill 188].

5 School Transport,--Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make new provision with respect to home to school transport for pupils in maintained schools; to provide for the payment of grants to defray the costs incurred by local education authorities; and for connected purposes: And that Dr George Turner, Mrs Linda Gilroy, Mr Stephen Pound, Mr Anthony D. Wright, Dr Ian Gibson, Mr Martin Linton, Mr Phil Willis, Mr Bob Blizzard, Mr David Drew, Mr Cynog Dafis and Mr Charles Clarke do prepare and bring it in.

6 School Transport Bill,--Dr George Turner accordingly presented a Bill to make new provision with respect to home to school transport for pupils in maintained schools; to provide for the payment of grants to defray the costs incurred by local education authorities; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 3rd July and to be printed [Bill 189].

7 Social Security Bill [Money] [No. 2],--Her Majesty Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to Social Security Bill [Money] [No. 2];

    Resolved, That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Social Security Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure incurred under the Act by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.--(Mr Kevin Hughes.)

8 Social Security Bill,--The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill.

    Lords Amendments Nos. 1 to 60 were agreed to.

    Lords Amendment No. 61 was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.

    Lords Amendments Nos. 62 and 63 were agreed to.

    Lords Amendment No. 64.

    An Amendment ((a)) was proposed to the Lords Amendment, in line 4, to leave out the word 'subsections' and insert the word 'subsection', instead thereof.--(Mr John Denham).

    Question put, That the Amendment be made to the Lords Amendment;

    The House divided.

    Tellers for the Ayes, Bridget Prentice, Mr Greg Pope: 328.

    Tellers for the Noes, Mr Nigel Waterson, Mr James Cran: 123.

    And it being after Ten o'clock, further consideration of the Lords Amendments stood adjourned.

9 Business of the House,--A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business), That, at this day's sitting, consideration of the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour--(Mr Kevin Hughes):--It was agreed to.

10 Social Security Bill,--The House again proceeded to consider the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill.

    Lords Amendment No. 64.

    Another Amendment ((b)) was made to the Lords Amendment.

    The Lords Amendment, so amended, was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.

    Lords Amendments Nos. 65 to 81 were agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges in relation to Lords Amendments Nos. 65 and 74 to 78.

    Lords Amendment No. 82.

    Question put, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment;

    The House divided.

    Tellers for the Ayes, Jane Kennedy, Mr Robert Ainsworth: 257.

    Tellers for the Noes, Mr James Cran, Mr Oliver Heald: 119.

    The Lords Amendment was accordingly agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.

    Lords Amendments Nos. 83 to 165 were agreed to.

    Lords Amendment No. 166.

    An Amendment ((a)) was made to the Lords Amendment.

    The Lords Amendment, so amended, was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.

    Lords Amendments Nos. 167 to 184 were agreed to.

11 Public Petitions,--A Public Petition from Mr David John Gillings against the abolition of duty-free sales was presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.

12 Adjournment,--Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.--(Mr David Clelland.)

    And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till twenty-six minutes to Twelve o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.

[Adjourned at 11.34 p.m.

Betty Boothroyd
Speaker

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

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1 Consumer Protection,--Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (S.I., 1998, No. 1208), dated 10th May 1998 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].

Other Papers:

2 Law Reform (Scotland),--Report of the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman for 1997 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 686] [Mr Secretary Dewar].

3 National Audit,--Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Managing the Millennium Threat II [by Act]; to be printed [No. 724] [Clerk of the House].

4 Treaty Series (No. 20, 1998),--Notes, exchanged at Skopje on 5th September 1996, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Macedonian Government concerning certain commercial debts (United Kingdom/Macedonia Debt Agreement No. 1 (1995)) [by Command] [Cm. 3951] [Mr Secretary Cook].

APPENDIX II

Standing Committees

1 Competition Bill [Lords]:

    (1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee G, and appointed Mr John Maxton and Mr Peter Atkinson Chairmen; and

    (2) the Committee of Selection has nominated twenty-nine Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr Nigel Beard, Mr John Bercow, Mr Clive Betts, Mr David Borrow, Mr Tim Boswell, Mr Colin Breed, Mr Peter Brooke, Mr Desmond Browne, Mr David Chidgey, Mr Brian Cotter, Mr Frank Doran, Lorna Fitzsimons, Mr Michael Foster (Hastings and Rye), Mrs Linda Gilroy, Mr Nigel Griffiths, Mr John Grogan, Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Stephen Ladyman, Mr Andrew Lansley, Ms Jackie Lawrence, Mr Oliver Letwin, Mr Ian McCartney, Dan Norris, Mr John Redwood, Dr Phyllis Starkey, Mr David Stewart, Mr John M. Taylor, Ms Claire Ward and Mr Michael Wills.

2 Chamber of Commerce (Protection of Title) Bill:

    (1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee C; and

    (2) The Committee of Selection has nominated nineteen Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr Graham Brady, Mr Tom Brake, Mrs Anne Campbell, Mr Robin Corbett, Mr Brian Cotter, Mr Geraint Davies, Mr Kelvin Hopkins, Ms Jenny Jones, Mr Andrew Lansley, Mr Tim Loughton, Mr Gordon Marsden, Ms Margaret Moran, Mr Richard Page, Mr Stephen Pound, Mrs Barbara Roche, Mr Barry Sheerman, Mrs Caroline Spelman, Ms Gisela Stuart and Dr Rudi Vis.

3 Draft New Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 1998:

    (1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Order to the Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, and appointed Mr Peter Atkinson Chairman; and

    (2) The Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr David Chaytor, Mr Paul Clark, Mr Iain Coleman, Mr Jeremy Corbyn, Mr James Cran, Mr Jim Dowd, Mr Mike Gapes, Mr Roger Godsiff, Mr Dominic Grieve, Mr Stephen Hesford, Mr Andrew Hunter, Gillian Merron, Mr Malcolm Moss, Mr Paul Murphy, Mr William Ross and The Reverend Martin Smyth.

Grand Committees

4 Scottish Grand Committee,--The Speaker has appointed Mr John Maxton Chairman of the Committee in respect of its meeting on Wednesday 20th May.

APPENDIX III

Reports from Select Committees

1 Defence,--Fourth Report from the Defence Committee [Lessons of the Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee and the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report; to be printed [No. 611] [Mr Bruce George].

2 Education and Employment,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee on 13th May [The Role of Headteachers]; to be printed [No. 725-ii] [Ms Margaret Hodge].

3 Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee on 13th May [Housing]; to be printed [No. 495-ix] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].

4 Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Transport Sub-Committee of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee on 13th May [London Underground]; to be printed [No. 715-iii] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].

5 European Legislation,--Twenty-eighth Report from the Select Committee on European Legislation; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 155-xxviii] [Mr Jimmy Hood].

6 Northern Ireland Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 13th May [The Prison Service in Northern Ireland]; to be printed [No. 716-ii] [Mr Peter Brooke].

7 Public Accounts,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts on 13th May [HM Coastguard: Civil Maritime Search and Rescue]; to be printed [No. 741-i] [Mr David Davis].

8 Science and Technology,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee on 13th May [Engineering and Physical Sciences Based Innovation]; to be printed [No. 626-iv] [Dr Lynne Jones].

9 Social Security,--(1) Fourth Report from the Social Security Committee [Disability Living Allowance]; together 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. 641]; and

    (2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [Disability Living Allowance]

[Mr Archy Kirkwood].

10 Trade and Industry,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Trade and Industry Committee on 13th May [Regional Funding]; to be printed [No. 697-ii] [Mr Martin O'Neill].

The House met at half-past Nine o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1	Adjournment,--A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn--(Ms Joyce Quin);
	And it being Two o'clock, the Motion for the adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
2	Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,--Mr Bowen Wells reported from the Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Cash Ratio Deposits (Value Bands and Ratios) Order 1998 and the draft Bank of England (Information Powers) Order 1998.
	Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.
3	Message from the Lords,--A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:
	The Lords have agreed to the Animal Health (Amendment) Bill, without Amendment.
4	Registration of Political Parties Bill,--Mr Secretary Straw, supported by the Prime Minister, Mr Secretary Prescott, Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Margaret Beckett, Mr Secretary Dewar, Mr Secretary Davies and Mr George Howarth, presented a Bill to make provision about the registration of political parties: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow and to be printed [Bill 188].
5	School Transport,--Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make new provision with respect to home to school transport for pupils in maintained schools; to provide for the payment of grants to defray the costs incurred by local education authorities; and for connected purposes: And that Dr George Turner, Mrs Linda Gilroy, Mr Stephen Pound, Mr Anthony D. Wright, Dr Ian Gibson, Mr Martin Linton, Mr Phil Willis, Mr Bob Blizzard, Mr David Drew, Mr Cynog Dafis and Mr Charles Clarke do prepare and bring it in.
6	School Transport Bill,--Dr George Turner accordingly presented a Bill to make new provision with respect to home to school transport for pupils in maintained schools; to provide for the payment of grants to defray the costs incurred by local education authorities; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 3rd July and to be printed [Bill 189].
7	Social Security Bill [Money] [No. 2],--Her Majesty Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to Social Security Bill [Money] [No. 2];
	Resolved, That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Social Security Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure incurred under the Act by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.--(Mr Kevin Hughes.)
8	Social Security Bill,--The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill.
	Lords Amendments Nos. 1 to 60 were agreed to.
	Lords Amendment No. 61 was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.
	Lords Amendments Nos. 62 and 63 were agreed to.
	Lords Amendment No. 64.
	An Amendment ((a)) was proposed to the Lords Amendment, in line 4, to leave out the word 'subsections' and insert the word 'subsection', instead thereof.--(Mr John Denham).
	Question put, That the Amendment be made to the Lords Amendment;
	The House divided.
	Tellers for the Ayes, Bridget Prentice, Mr Greg Pope: 328.
	Tellers for the Noes, Mr Nigel Waterson, Mr James Cran: 123.
	And it being after Ten o'clock, further consideration of the Lords Amendments stood adjourned.
9	Business of the House,--A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business), That, at this day's sitting, consideration of the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour--(Mr Kevin Hughes):--It was agreed to.
10	Social Security Bill,--The House again proceeded to consider the Lords Amendments to the Social Security Bill.
	Lords Amendment No. 64.
	Another Amendment ((b)) was made to the Lords Amendment.
	The Lords Amendment, so amended, was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.
	Lords Amendments Nos. 65 to 81 were agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges in relation to Lords Amendments Nos. 65 and 74 to 78.
	Lords Amendment No. 82.
	Question put, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment;
	The House divided.
	Tellers for the Ayes, Jane Kennedy, Mr Robert Ainsworth: 257.
	Tellers for the Noes, Mr James Cran, Mr Oliver Heald: 119.
	The Lords Amendment was accordingly agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.
	Lords Amendments Nos. 83 to 165 were agreed to.
	Lords Amendment No. 166.
	An Amendment ((a)) was made to the Lords Amendment.
	The Lords Amendment, so amended, was agreed to, the Commons being willing to waive their privileges.
	Lords Amendments Nos. 167 to 184 were agreed to.
11	Public Petitions,--A Public Petition from Mr David John Gillings against the abolition of duty-free sales was presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.
12	Adjournment,--Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.--(Mr David Clelland.)
	And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till twenty-six minutes to Twelve o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 11.34 p.m.
*Betty Boothroyd* *Speaker*
Madam Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Two o'clock.
APPENDIX I
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
1	Consumer Protection,--Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (S.I., 1998, No. 1208), dated 10th May 1998 [by Act] [Secretary Margaret Beckett].
Other Papers:
2	Law Reform (Scotland),--Report of the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman for 1997 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 686] [Mr Secretary Dewar].
3	National Audit,--Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Managing the Millennium Threat II [by Act]; to be printed [No. 724] [Clerk of the House].
4	Treaty Series (No. 20, 1998),--Notes, exchanged at Skopje on 5th September 1996, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Macedonian Government concerning certain commercial debts (United Kingdom/Macedonia Debt Agreement No. 1 (1995)) [by Command] [Cm. 3951] [Mr Secretary Cook].
APPENDIX II
Standing Committees
1	Competition Bill [Lords]:
	(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee G, and appointed Mr John Maxton and Mr Peter Atkinson Chairmen; and
	(2) the Committee of Selection has nominated twenty-nine Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr Nigel Beard, Mr John Bercow, Mr Clive Betts, Mr David Borrow, Mr Tim Boswell, Mr Colin Breed, Mr Peter Brooke, Mr Desmond Browne, Mr David Chidgey, Mr Brian Cotter, Mr Frank Doran, Lorna Fitzsimons, Mr Michael Foster (Hastings and Rye), Mrs Linda Gilroy, Mr Nigel Griffiths, Mr John Grogan, Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Stephen Ladyman, Mr Andrew Lansley, Ms Jackie Lawrence, Mr Oliver Letwin, Mr Ian McCartney, Dan Norris, Mr John Redwood, Dr Phyllis Starkey, Mr David Stewart, Mr John M. Taylor, Ms Claire Ward and Mr Michael Wills.
2	Chamber of Commerce (Protection of Title) Bill:
	(1) The Speaker has allocated the Bill to Standing Committee C; and
	(2) The Committee of Selection has nominated nineteen Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr Graham Brady, Mr Tom Brake, Mrs Anne Campbell, Mr Robin Corbett, Mr Brian Cotter, Mr Geraint Davies, Mr Kelvin Hopkins, Ms Jenny Jones, Mr Andrew Lansley, Mr Tim Loughton, Mr Gordon Marsden, Ms Margaret Moran, Mr Richard Page, Mr Stephen Pound, Mrs Barbara Roche, Mr Barry Sheerman, Mrs Caroline Spelman, Ms Gisela Stuart and Dr Rudi Vis.
3	Draft New Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 1998:
	(1) The Speaker has allocated the draft Order to the Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, and appointed Mr Peter Atkinson Chairman; and
	(2) The Committee of Selection has nominated sixteen Members to serve on the Committee, viz.: Mr David Chaytor, Mr Paul Clark, Mr Iain Coleman, Mr Jeremy Corbyn, Mr James Cran, Mr Jim Dowd, Mr Mike Gapes, Mr Roger Godsiff, Mr Dominic Grieve, Mr Stephen Hesford, Mr Andrew Hunter, Gillian Merron, Mr Malcolm Moss, Mr Paul Murphy, Mr William Ross and The Reverend Martin Smyth.
	Grand Committees
4	Scottish Grand Committee,--The Speaker has appointed Mr John Maxton Chairman of the Committee in respect of its meeting on Wednesday 20th May.
APPENDIX III
Reports from Select Committees
1	Defence,--Fourth Report from the Defence Committee [Lessons of the Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee and the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report; to be printed [No. 611] [Mr Bruce George].
2	Education and Employment,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee on 13th May [The Role of Headteachers]; to be printed [No. 725-ii] [Ms Margaret Hodge].
3	Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee on 13th May [Housing]; to be printed [No. 495-ix] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].
4	Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Transport Sub-Committee of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee on 13th May [London Underground]; to be printed [No. 715-iii] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].
5	European Legislation,--Twenty-eighth Report from the Select Committee on European Legislation; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 155-xxviii] [Mr Jimmy Hood].
6	Northern Ireland Affairs,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 13th May [The Prison Service in Northern Ireland]; to be printed [No. 716-ii] [Mr Peter Brooke].
7	Public Accounts,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts on 13th May [HM Coastguard: Civil Maritime Search and Rescue]; to be printed [No. 741-i] [Mr David Davis].
8	Science and Technology,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee on 13th May [Engineering and Physical Sciences Based Innovation]; to be printed [No. 626-iv] [Dr Lynne Jones].
9	Social Security,--(1) Fourth Report from the Social Security Committee [Disability Living Allowance]; together 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. 641]; and
	(2) Memoranda laid before the Committee [Disability Living Allowance]
	[Mr Archy Kirkwood].
10	Trade and Industry,--Minutes of Evidence taken before the Trade and Industry Committee on 13th May [Regional Funding]; to be printed [No. 697-ii] [Mr Martin O'Neill].