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Business of the House
3.31 pm
Mr. Jeff Rooker (Birmingham, Perry Barr): Will the Leader of the House set out the business for next week?
The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Tony Newton): The business of the House for next week will be as follows:
Monday 1 July--Progress on remaining stages of the Broadcasting Bill [Lords].
Tuesday 2 July--Completion of remaining stages of the Broadcasting Bill [Lords].
Motion relating to the Social Security (Disability Living Allowance and Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations.
Wednesday 3 July--Until 2 o'clock there will be debates on the motion for the Adjournment of the House.
Proceedings on the Statutory Instruments (Production and Sale) Bill.
Proceedings on the Social Security (Overpayments) Bill.
Thursday 4 July--Until about 7 o'clock motions on the Structural and Boundary Change Orders. Details will be given in the Official Report.
Friday 5 July--The House will not be sitting.
The provisional business for the following week will be as follows:
Monday 8 July--Remaining stages of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Bill [Lords].
Motions on the Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order and the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order.
Tuesday 9 July--Opposition Day [18th allotted day]. There will be a debate on an Opposition motion. Subject to be announced.
Motions relating to the Occupational Pension Schemes Regulations.
Wednesday 10 July--Until 2 o'clock, there will be debates on the motion for the Adjournment of the House.
Remaining stages of the Education (Scotland) Bill [Lords].
Remaining stages of the Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill [Lords].
Thursday 11 July--It is expected that there will be debates on motions for the Adjournment of the House.
Friday 12 July--Private Members' Bills.
The House will also wish to know that on Wednesday 3 July, there will be a debate on European water policy in European Standing Committee A.
The House may also wish to know that it is proposed that on Wednesday 10 July there will be a debate on maritime policy in European Standing Committee A and a debate on the EC budget and the financial perspective in European Standing Committee B.
Subject to the progress of business, it will be proposed that the House should rise for the summer recess at the conclusion of business on Thursday 25 July and return on Monday 14 October.
[Wednesday 4 July: European Standing Committee A--European Community Documents: a) 8600/94; Ecological Quality of Water. b) 5939/96; EC Water Policy. Relevant European Legislation Committee Reports a) HC 70-ii (1994-95) and HC 48-xxvi (1993-94). b) HC 51-xvii (1995-96).] Wednesday 10 July: European Standing Committee A--European Community Document: 6813/96; Maritime Policy. Relevant European Committee Report HC 51-xxi (1995-96). European Standing Committee B--European Community Documents: a) COM(96)300; EC Preliminary Draft Budget for 1997. b) 6431/96 + COR 1; Financial Perspective. Relevant European Legislation Committee Reports a) HC 51-xxiii (1995-96). b) HC 51-xix (1995-96) and HC 51-xxii (1995-96).]
Thursday 4 July--Motions on the Structural and Boundary Change Orders. The relevant orders are as follows:
The Cambridgeshire (City of Peterborough) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996; The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Nottinghamshire (City of Nottingham) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Cheshire (Boroughs of Halton and Warrington) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Devon (City of Plymouth and Borough of Torbay) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Essex (Boroughs of Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock and District of Tendring) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996; The Hereford and Worcester (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996; The Kent (Borough of Gillingham and City of Rochester upon Medway) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Shropshire (District of the Wrekin) (Structural Change) Order 1996; The Berkshire (Structural Change) Order 1996.
Tuesday 9 July--Occupational Pension Schemes Regulations.
The relevant regulations are as follows:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Pensions Compensation Board Limit on Borrowing) Regulations 1996; The Occupational Pension Schemes (Mixed Benefit Contracted-out Schemes) regulations 1996; The Occupational Pension Schemes (Requirement to Obtain Audited Accounts and a Statement from the Auditor) Regulations 1996; The Occupational Pension Schemes (Member-Nominated Trustees and Directors) Regulations 1996.]
Mr. Rooker:
I am grateful to the Leader of the House for again giving as nearly as possible two full weeks of business. His statement has obviated the need for one of my questions. The school holidays started yesterday in Scotland and it is important for hon. Members' families to know the recess dates.
Will the right hon. Gentleman arrange an early debate on data protection in view of the decision yesterday by the British Medical Association that general practitioners should not sign up to the proposed NHS data network? There is obvious concern that too many people other than doctors will gain access to confidential reports about patients. There are reports that the Government have resisted the British Medical Association's suggestions on ways to protect sensitive information. We believe that patients are entitled to know that their medical records are secure from anyone who wants to probe on the network, whether employers, banks or insurance companies.
In view of the Deputy Prime Minister's ignorant--I was going to say inadequate--response to the points relating to married quarters, will the Leader of the House arrange a debate on early-day motion 1040?
[That this House notes that the Government proposes to sell all Ministry of Defence married quarters in England and Wales, including those occupied by service families as well as empty properties, to developers; further notes that this will leave service tenants dependent on a declining number of properties leased back for 25 years; notes that most of the properties can be exchanged by the developer with a neutral arbitrator, rather than the tenants or the Ministry of Defence, deciding whether or not exchanges are permitted; notes that the arbitrator will have to base his decision on set criteria which are vaguely worded, so that developers with expert legal advice will be able progressively to cream off the best estates; notes that steep rises in rents and the downward ratchet on the number of homes leased back, embodied in the proposed scheme, will progressively reduce and break up married quarter estates; notes that, especially at a time of overstretch, and poor recruiting and retention these estates play a vital role in maintaining the morale of service families and the maintenance of the regimental system; and calls on the Government to dispose of surplus estates, to provide homes for civilian families but, before selling any estate with service tenants, to consult the tenants on the estate, to report to Parliament on the outcome of the consultation and to table an affirmative resolution in both Houses.]
Such a debate would enable hon. Members on both sides of the House to put service families' concerns to the Government across the Floor of the House before their houses are sold over them.
If reports are correct that, before the recess, a White Paper is to be published on the legal aid service which is purported to be the biggest shake-up in its 46-year history, the relevant Minister should make a statement in the House so that hon. Members can check on the price of justice for their constituents.
Mr. Newton:
I have no plans for a debate on data protection, but I shall draw the hon. Gentleman's remarks to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. There is probably disappointment in some quarters of the House that we are not rising earlier than I have announced today, and I cannot envisage the possibility of too many more debates unless the hon. Gentleman wishes to press to be here into August.
The hon. Gentleman referred to Ministry of Defence married quarters. I do not accept that my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's answers were inadequate. I say clearly--as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on Tuesday at Prime Ministers questions--that is it the Government's belief and firm intention that the sale will improve the quality and management of service housing to the benefit of those about whom the hon. Gentleman is concerned.
We expect and intend to publish a White Paper on legal aid, and I note the hon. Gentleman's request for a statement.
Finally, in the spirit of the approaching holiday season, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his work rate this afternoon.
Mr. Tim Renton (Mid-Sussex):
I should like to press my right hon. Friend for one more debate before the recess. Has he seen early-day motion 953?
[That this House deplores the steep decline in serious reporting and analysis of politics and current affairs in the United Kingdom; notes that this decline has gathered pace in recent times, with increasing emphasis on personalities rather than policies, and on trivia rather than substance; notes the growing contrast both with the past in British journalism and with certain high quality daily newspapers in other countries; and suggests that the editors of those national papers that aim to contribute significantly to opinion-forming should demonstrate a more serious and less personal approach, and seek to achieve more balanced coverage and comment in relation to public issues and political development.]
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