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Session 1999-2000
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House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Monday 6th December 1999

The House met at half-past Two o'clock.
PRAYERS.
1First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,—Mr Edward O'Hara reported from the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) (No. 2) Order 1999.
 
        Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.
2Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,—Mr Jim Cunningham reported from the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation the draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1999.
 
        Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.
3Government Resources and Accounts Bill,—The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the Government Resources and Accounts Bill;
 
        And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time;
 
        An Amendment was proposed to the Question, to leave out from the word 'That' to the end of the Question and add the words 'this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Government Resources and Accounts Bill because, although great benefit can be derived from the construction of a proper balance sheet for the public sector and from proper rules for clear, simple and rigorously-defined government accounts, the Bill gives unfettered discretion to the Treasury, establishes no clear principles for the accounting of income or expenditure, will permit the Treasury to continue to omit large public assets and liabilities from the national balance sheet, and hence represents a missed opportunity to make much-needed improvements in the compilation and presentation of government accounts', instead thereof.—(Mr Oliver Letwin.)
 
        And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made;
 
        The House divided.
 
          Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Oliver Heald, Mr Peter Atkinson: 140.
 
          Tellers for the Noes, Mr Kevin Hughes, Mr Mike Hall: 327.
 
        So the Question was negatived.
 
        And the Main Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 62 (Amendment on second or third reading):—It was agreed to.
 
        The Bill was accordingly read a second time and stood committed to a Standing Committee.
4Government Resources and Accounts Bill [Money],—Her Majesty's Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to Government Resources and Accounts Bill [Money];
 
        A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 52 (Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Government Resources and Accounts Bill, it is expedient to authorise—
 
        (1) The payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure incurred by the Treasury under the Act;
 
        (2) refunds of money paid into the Consolidated Fund as the result of an error;
 
        (3) the charging on and payment out of the Consolidated Fund of sums required for fulfilling guarantees given by the Treasury;
 
        (4) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable out of money provided by Parliament under any other Act; and
 
        (5) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund—(Mr Don Touhig);
 
        The House divided.
 
          Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Mike Hall, Mr Kevin Hughes: 318.
 
          Tellers for the Noes, Mr David Wilshire, Mr James Gray: 3.
 
        So the Question was agreed to.
 
        Resolved, That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Government Resources and Accounts Bill, it is expedient to authorise—
 
        (1) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure incurred by the Treasury under the Act;
 
        (2) refunds of money paid into the Consolidated Fund as the result of an error;
 
        (3) the charging on and payment out of the Consolidated Fund of sums required for fulfilling guarantees given by the Treasury;
 
        (4) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable out of money provided by Parliament under any other Act; and
 
        (5) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.
5Agriculture,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000, which were laid before this House on 17th November, be approved—(Mr Don Touhig);
 
        The House divided.
 
          Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Mike Hall, Mr Kevin Hughes: 304.
 
          Tellers for the Noes, Mr Eric Forth, Mr Edward Leigh: 2.
 
        So the Question was agreed to.
 
        Resolved, That the draft Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000, which were laid before this House on 17th November, be approved.
6Terms and Conditions of Employment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 22nd November, be approved—(Mr Don Touhig);
 
        The House divided.
 
          Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Mike Hall, Mr Kevin Hughes: 277.
 
          Tellers for the Noes, Mr Eric Forth, Mr Christopher Gill: 2.
 
        So the Question was agreed to.
 
        Resolved, That the draft Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 22nd November, be approved.
7Agriculture,—Ordered, That Ms Sally Keeble and Mrs Diana Organ be discharged from the Agriculture Committee and Mr David Borrow and Mr David Drew be added to the Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
8Culture, Media and Sport,—Ordered, That Mrs Diana Organ be added to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
9Defence,—Ordered, That Ms Dari Taylor be discharged from the Defence Committee and Mr Stephen Hepburn be added to the Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
10Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,—Ordered, That Dr Alan Whitehead be discharged from the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee and Mr Hilary Benn be added to the Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
11Home Affairs,—Ordered, That Mr Chris Mullin be discharged from the Home Affairs Committee and Mr Ian Cawsey be added to the Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
12Social Security,—Ordered, That Mr David Crausby be added to the Social Security Committee.—(Mr John McWilliam, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
13Public Petitions,—A Public Petition from Helen Hooton, pensioner, and others relating to Council Tax was presented and read; and ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed.
14Adjournment,—Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Don Touhig.)
 
        And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till eighteen minutes past Eleven o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.
[Adjourned at 11.18 p.m.
Betty Boothroyd
Speaker        

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

APPENDIX I
Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 3rd December 1999 (Non-sitting Friday, S.O. No. 12) pursuant to Standing Order No. 158 (Presentation of command papers):
1Health,—Government Response to the Fifth Report from the Health Committee, Session 1998-99, on the Regulation of Private and Other Independent Healthcare [Cm. 4540] [Mr Secretary Milburn].
2Treaty Series (No. 78, 1999),—Agreement, done at Bonn on 16th May 1994, to attend the Protocol of Signature to the Agreement of 3rd August 1959, as amended by the Agreements of 21st October 1971 and 18th May 1981, to Supplement the Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Forces with respect to Foreign Forces stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany [Cm. 4521] [Mr Secretary Cook].
3Treaty Series [No. 79, 1999),—Exchange of Notes, done at Dhaka on 23rd December 1997 and 9th July 1998, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh amending the Air Services Agreement done at London on 5th July 1978 [Cm. 4522] [Mr Secretary Cook].
4Treaty Series (No. 80, 1999),—Agreement, done at London on 6th December 1993, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Latvia concerning Air Services [Cm. 4523] [Mr Secretary Cook].
Papers delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 3rd December 1999 (Non-sitting Friday, S.O. No. 12) pursuant to Standing Order No. 159 (Presentation of Statutory Instruments):
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
5Health and Safety,—Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3165), dated 23rd November 1999 [Mr Secretary Prescott].
6Social Security,—Tax Credits (Payment by Employers) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3219), dated 2nd December 1999 [Dawn Primarolo].
Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 6th December 1999:
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
7Food,—Contaminants in Food (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3221), dated 2nd December 1999 [by Act] [Mr Nicholas Brown].
8Merchant Shipping,—Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3210), dated 30th November 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
9Ministers of the Crown,—(1) Transfer of Functions (Agriculture and Food) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3141),
 
        (2) Transfer of Functions (Medicines and Poisons) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3142), and
 
        (3) Transfer of Functions (Road Traffic) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3143)
 
    dated 24th November 1999 [by Act] [Margaret Beckett].
10Road Traffic,—Motor Vehicles (Approval) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3226), dated 3rd December 1999 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].
11Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,—Statute, dated 6th July 1999, made by the University of Oxford, amending the Statutes of the University [by Act] [Margaret Beckett].
Other Papers:
12British Library,—Report and Financial and Statistical Summary of the British Library for 1998-99 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Smith].
13Currency,—Treasury Minute, dated 6th December 1999, directing a raising of the limit on the amount of the Bank of England's fiduciary note issue [by Act] [Miss Melanie Johnson].
14Export Credits Guarantee Department,—Report and Trading Accounts of the Export Credits Guarantee Department for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Audit General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 2] [Mr Secretary Byers].
15National Audit,—Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Highways Agency: Getting best value from the disposal of property [by Act]; to be printed [No. 58] [Clerk of the House].
16Science and Technology,—Accounts of the Natural Environment Research Council for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 91] [Clerk of the House].
APPENDIX II
Standing Committees
1Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) (No. 2) Order 1999,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Brian H. Donohoe and Ms Sandra Osborne from the First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the draft Order); and nominated in substitution Mr Desmond Browne and Mr Jimmy Wray.
2Draft Legal Aid (Prescribed Panels) (Amendment) Regulations 1999,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Mark Fisher from the Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the draft Regulations); and nominated in substitution Mr Fraser Kemp.
3Value Added Tax (Input Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 3118),—The Committee of Selection has discharged Ms Karen Buck from the Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (nominated in respect of the Order); and nominated in substitution Mr Austin Mitchell.
APPENDIX III
Reports from Select Committees
1Public Accounts,—Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts [HM Customs and Excise: Improving VAT Assurance]; to be printed [No. 75-i] [Mr Richard Page].
2Treasury,—(1) First Report from the Treasury Committee [Research Assistance for Monetary Policy Committee Members]; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 43]; and
 
        (2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [The International Monetary Fund]; to be printed [No. 72-ii]
 
    [Mr Giles Radice].



 
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