Votes and Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 1998-99
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House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Tuesday 6th July 1999

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

PRAYERS.

1 City of London (Ward Elections) Bill,—The Order of the day being read, for consideration of the City of London (Ward Elections) Bill;

    Ordered, That the Bill be considered on Thursday 8th July.

2 Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) etc. Bill (changed to Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) Bill),—The First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means reported from the Committee on Unopposed Bills, That it had examined the allegations contained in the Preamble to the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) etc. Bill and had amended the same so as to make it consistent with the facts as proved by the evidence adduced, and found the same, as amended, to be true; and had gone through the Bill and made Amendments thereunto.

    Bill, as amended in the Committee, to lie upon the Table.

3 Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,—Mr Bill Olner reported from the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Stansted Airport Aircraft Movement Limit (Amendment) Order 1999.

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

4 Property Letting Agents (Client Money Segregation),—Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the segregation of client monies collected by letting agents, to be held in designated client money accounts: And that Mr Howard Flight, Mr Peter Viggers, Mr Graham Brady, Miss Julie Kirkbride, Mr Andrew Tyrie, Mr John Bercow, Mr Christopher Fraser and Mrs Marion Roe do prepare and bring it in.

5 Property Letting Agents (Client Money Segregation) Bill,—Mr Howard Flight accordingly presented a Bill to require the segregation of client monies collected by letting agents, to be held in designated client money accounts: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 23rd July and to be printed. [Bill 132].

6 Finance Bill,—The House, according to Order, proceeded further to consider the Finance Bill, not amended in the Committee, and as amended in the Standing Committee.

    Amendment (No. 40) proposed to the Bill, in page 1, line 24, to leave out '£0.5288' and insert '£0.499' instead thereof.—(Mr David Heathcoat Amory.)

    Question put, That the Amendment be made.

    The House divided.

    Tellers for the Ayes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mrs Eleanor Laing: 135.

    Tellers for the Noes, Jane Kennedy, Mr Kevin Hughes: 355.

    Amendments (Nos. 30, 3 to 13 and 15 to 24) made to the Bill.

    Another Amendment (No. 31) proposed to the Bill, in page 90, line 6, after '122' to insert '(1)'.—(Mr Francis Maude.)

    Question put, That the Amendment be made.

    The House divided.

    Tellers for the Ayes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: 134.

    Tellers for the Noes, Mr David Hanson, Mr Clive Betts: 336.

    Another Amendment (No. 14) made to the Bill.

    Another Amendment (No. 1) proposed to the Bill, in page 102, line 15, at the end, to insert the words—

    '(5) For the purposes of subsection (2) above the Commissioners may only give notice in the circumstances specified in subsection (2) above if it appears to the Commissioners that—

    (a) a company is engaged in a VAT avoidance scheme,

    (b) membership of the group threatens the collectability of tax, or

    (c) the revenue loss associated with its membership of the group goes beyond the natural consequences of grouping.'.—(Mr David Heathcoat-Amory.)

    Question, That the Amendment be made, put and negatived.

    Other Amendments (Nos. 25 and 35) made to the Bill.

    A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That the Bill be now read the third time;

    The House divided.

    Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Keith Hill, Mr David Jamieson: 326.

    Tellers for the Noes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: 149.

    So the Question was agreed to.

    The Bill was accordingly read the third time, and passed.

7 Public Petitions,—A Public Petition from Mr J C Hamblin, residents of the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds and others for re-establishment of British Sovereignty ceded to the European Commission was presented; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.

8 Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Keith Hill.)

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

[Adjourned at 11.33 p.m.

Betty Boothroyd
Speaker

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

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1 Local Government Finance,—Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (No. 48) on 1999-2000 Special Grant for Developing New Approaches to Commissioning Services for Drug Misusers [by Act]; to be printed [No. 513] [Mr Secretary Dobson].

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

2 Education,—Greenhill College, Harrow and Weald College, Harrow (Dissolution) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1919), dated 24th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Blunkett].

3 Road Traffic,—Road Traffic (Parking Adjudicators) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1918), dated 30th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].

4 Town and Country Planning,—Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1810), dated 25th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].

Other Papers:

5 Education Reform,—Account of the Education Transfer Council for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 674] [Clerk of the House].

6 Fair Employment,—Report and Statement of Accounts of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland thereon [by Act] [Secretary Marjorie Mowlam].

7 Financial Services,—Report and Accounts of the Financial Services Authority for 1998-99 [by Act] [Ms Patricia Hewitt].

8 Health,—Paper, entitled Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation [by Command] [Cm. 4386] [Mr Secretary Dobson].

9 Monopolies and Mergers,—Report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply in Great Britain of raw cows' milk [by Command] [Cm. 4286] [Mr Secretary Byers].

10 Public Accounts,—Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel Memorandum on the Eleventh Report from the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 1998-99 [by Command] [Cm. 4394] [Secretary Marjorie Mowlam].

11 Public Petitions,—Observations by the Economic Secretary, HM Treasury, on the Petition [26th May] from residents of the constituency of Ross, Skye and Inverness West and others concerning the price of fuel in the Highlands of Scotland [by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].

APPENDIX II

Reports from Select Committees

1 Education and Employment,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee [School Meals]; to be printed [No. 676-i] [Mr Malcolm Wicks].

2 Environmental Audit,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environmental Audit Committee [The Sustainable Development Strategy]; to be printed [No. 479-ii] [Mr John Horam].

3 Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environment Sub-Committee of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee [Town and Country Parks]; to be printed [No. 477-v] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].

4 Home Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Home Affairs Committee [Home Office Annual Report]; to be printed [No. 653-i] [Mr Chris Mullin].

5 International Development,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the International Development Committee [The Future of Sanctions]; to be printed [No. 454-v] [Mr Bowen Wells].

6 Local Government (Organisation and Standards),—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Joint Committee on Local Government (Organisation and Standards); to be printed [No. 542-vi] [Mr Peter L. Pike].

7 Public Administration,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Public Administration [Freedom of Information Draft Bill]; to be printed [Nos. 570-v and -vi] [Dr Tony Wright].

8 Statutory Instruments,—Twenty-fourth Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, together with Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be printed [No. 50-xxiv] [Mr David Tredinnick].

9 Trade and Industry,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Trade and Industry Committee [Climate Change Levy]; to be printed [Nos. 678-i and -ii] [Mr Martin O'Neill].

10 Treasury,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Treasury Committee [Demutualisation]; to be printed [No. 605-ii] [Mr Giles Radice].

The House met at half-past Two o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1	City of London (Ward Elections) Bill,—The Order of the day being read, for consideration of the City of London (Ward Elections) Bill;
	Ordered, That the Bill be considered on Thursday 8th July.
2	Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) etc. Bill (changed to Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) Bill),—The First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means reported from the Committee on Unopposed Bills, That it had examined the allegations contained in the Preamble to the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (Amendment of Rules) etc. Bill and had amended the same so as to make it consistent with the facts as proved by the evidence adduced, and found the same, as amended, to be true; and had gone through the Bill and made Amendments thereunto.
	Bill, as amended in the Committee, to lie upon the Table.
3	Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,—Mr Bill Olner reported from the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Stansted Airport Aircraft Movement Limit (Amendment) Order 1999.
	Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.
4	Property Letting Agents (Client Money Segregation),—Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the segregation of client monies collected by letting agents, to be held in designated client money accounts: And that Mr Howard Flight, Mr Peter Viggers, Mr Graham Brady, Miss Julie Kirkbride, Mr Andrew Tyrie, Mr John Bercow, Mr Christopher Fraser and Mrs Marion Roe do prepare and bring it in.
5	Property Letting Agents (Client Money Segregation) Bill,—Mr Howard Flight accordingly presented a Bill to require the segregation of client monies collected by letting agents, to be held in designated client money accounts: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 23rd July and to be printed. [Bill 132].
6	Finance Bill,—The House, according to Order, proceeded further to consider the Finance Bill, not amended in the Committee, and as amended in the Standing Committee.
	Amendment (No. 40) proposed to the Bill, in page 1, line 24, to leave out '£0.5288' and insert '£0.499' instead thereof.—(Mr David Heathcoat Amory.)
	Question put, That the Amendment be made.
	The House divided.
	Tellers for the Ayes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mrs Eleanor Laing: 135.
	Tellers for the Noes, Jane Kennedy, Mr Kevin Hughes: 355.
	Amendments (Nos. 30, 3 to 13 and 15 to 24) made to the Bill.
	Another Amendment (No. 31) proposed to the Bill, in page 90, line 6, after '122' to insert '(1)'.—(Mr Francis Maude.)
	Question put, That the Amendment be made.
	The House divided.
	Tellers for the Ayes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: 134.
	Tellers for the Noes, Mr David Hanson, Mr Clive Betts: 336.
	Another Amendment (No. 14) made to the Bill.
	Another Amendment (No. 1) proposed to the Bill, in page 102, line 15, at the end, to insert the words—
	'(5) For the purposes of subsection (2) above the Commissioners may only give notice in the circumstances specified in subsection (2) above if it appears to the Commissioners that—
	(a) a company is engaged in a VAT avoidance scheme,
	(b) membership of the group threatens the collectability of tax, or
	(c) the revenue loss associated with its membership of the group goes beyond the natural consequences of grouping.'.—(Mr David Heathcoat-Amory.)
	Question, That the Amendment be made, put and negatived.
	Other Amendments (Nos. 25 and 35) made to the Bill.
	A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That the Bill be now read the third time;
	The House divided.
	Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Keith Hill, Mr David Jamieson: 326.
	Tellers for the Noes, Mrs Jacqui Lait, Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: 149.
	So the Question was agreed to.
	The Bill was accordingly read the third time, and passed.
7	Public Petitions,—A Public Petition from Mr J C Hamblin, residents of the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds and others for re-establishment of British Sovereignty ceded to the European Commission was presented; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.
8	Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Keith Hill.)
	And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till twenty-seven minutes to Twelve o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 11.33 p.m.
*Betty Boothroyd* *Speaker*
Madam Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Nine o'clock.
APPENDIX I
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
1	Local Government Finance,—Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (No. 48) on 1999-2000 Special Grant for Developing New Approaches to Commissioning Services for Drug Misusers [by Act]; to be printed [No. 513] [Mr Secretary Dobson].
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
2	Education,—Greenhill College, Harrow and Weald College, Harrow (Dissolution) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1919), dated 24th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Blunkett].
3	Road Traffic,—Road Traffic (Parking Adjudicators) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1918), dated 30th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
4	Town and Country Planning,—Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 1810), dated 25th June 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
Other Papers:
5	Education Reform,—Account of the Education Transfer Council for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 674] [Clerk of the House].
6	Fair Employment,—Report and Statement of Accounts of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland thereon [by Act] [Secretary Marjorie Mowlam].
7	Financial Services,—Report and Accounts of the Financial Services Authority for 1998-99 [by Act] [Ms Patricia Hewitt].
8	Health,—Paper, entitled Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation [by Command] [Cm. 4386] [Mr Secretary Dobson].
9	Monopolies and Mergers,—Report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply in Great Britain of raw cows' milk [by Command] [Cm. 4286] [Mr Secretary Byers].
10	Public Accounts,—Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel Memorandum on the Eleventh Report from the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 1998-99 [by Command] [Cm. 4394] [Secretary Marjorie Mowlam].
11	Public Petitions,—Observations by the Economic Secretary, HM Treasury, on the Petition [26th May] from residents of the constituency of Ross, Skye and Inverness West and others concerning the price of fuel in the Highlands of Scotland [by Standing Order]; to be printed [Clerk of the House].
APPENDIX II
Reports from Select Committees
1	Education and Employment,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee [School Meals]; to be printed [No. 676-i] [Mr Malcolm Wicks].
2	Environmental Audit,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environmental Audit Committee [The Sustainable Development Strategy]; to be printed [No. 479-ii] [Mr John Horam].
3	Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environment Sub-Committee of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee [Town and Country Parks]; to be printed [No. 477-v] [Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody].
4	Home Affairs,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Home Affairs Committee [Home Office Annual Report]; to be printed [No. 653-i] [Mr Chris Mullin].
5	International Development,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the International Development Committee [The Future of Sanctions]; to be printed [No. 454-v] [Mr Bowen Wells].
6	Local Government (Organisation and Standards),—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Joint Committee on Local Government (Organisation and Standards); to be printed [No. 542-vi] [Mr Peter L. Pike].
7	Public Administration,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Public Administration [Freedom of Information Draft Bill]; to be printed [Nos. 570-v and -vi] [Dr Tony Wright].
8	Statutory Instruments,—Twenty-fourth Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, together with Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be printed [No. 50-xxiv] [Mr David Tredinnick].
9	Trade and Industry,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Trade and Industry Committee [Climate Change Levy]; to be printed [Nos. 678-i and -ii] [Mr Martin O'Neill].
10	Treasury,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Treasury Committee [Demutualisation]; to be printed [No. 605-ii] [Mr Giles Radice].