Order of Business for 12 March 1998

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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Summary Agendas and Orders of Business

Order of Business Thursday 12th March 1998

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Notes:
* Indicates a question for oral answer.
[R] indicates that the Member has declared a relevant interest.
Questions for oral answer not reached receive a written answer.
Supplementary questions will also be asked. Other Ministers may also answer.
+ Indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.
++ These are ordinary written questions of which no previous notice has been given. For other questions for written answer today see the 'Order Book'.

At 2.30 p.m. Prayers

At 2.35 p.m.

Oral Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

*1 Mr John Heppell (Nottingham East):    What estimate he has made of the number of women who will benefit as a result of the windfall levy.

(32493)

*2 Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):    What estimate he has made of the domestic savings ratio in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998.

(32494)

*3 Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    When he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss the interaction of monetary and economic policy.

(32495)

*4 Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East):    What plans he has to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries.

(32496)

*5 Mr David Amess (Southend West):    What representations he has received on the use of petrol duty rates as a mechanism for achieving environmental objectives.

(32497)

*6 Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    If he will make a statement on the distribution of the tax burden and public expenditure between different income groups.

(32498)

*7 Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    What plans he has to restructure the public sector borrowing requirement in relation to European monetary policy.

(32499)

*8 Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    What further discussions he has held with the IMF concerning the problems faced by South East Asian economies.

(32500)

*9 Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    If he will seek to achieve a more competitive exchange rate level.

(32501)

*10 Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    What plans he has to compensate the NHS for the additional costs arising from the removal of VAT zero rating for home delivered continence products.

(32502)

*11 Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):    What representations he has received from pensioners' organisations on his reduction in VAT on fuel.

(32503)

*12 Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    What the reasons are for proceeding with the abolition of duty free within the EU in 1999 in advance of harmonisation or equalisation of taxation rates in member states.

(32504)

*13 Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    What he estimates will be the cost to holders of PEPs to transfer them to ISAs.

(32505)

*14 Mr Alan W. Williams (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr):    What assessment he has made of the correlation between the boom and bust phases in the economic cycle and the value of the pound, and the time lag involved.

(32506)

*15 The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):    What steps he has taken to achieve equalisation of taxes in the European Union.

(32507)

*16 Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath):    What submissions he has received opposing his ISA proposals.

(32508)

*17 Mr Derek Twigg (Halton):    If he will make a statement on the current level of receipts from the windfall levy for spending on the welfare to work programme.

(32509)

*18 Mr Stephen Timms (East Ham):    What discussions he has had with Church leaders about the problems of highly-indebted developing countries.

(32510)

*19 Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green):    What consultations he has had about the number of tax bands in the income tax structure.

(32511)

*20 Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    If he will assess the advantages of increasing public expenditure in the forthcoming financial year.

(32512)

*21 Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    What assessment he has made of the impact of recent trends in manufactured exports on the balance of payments.

(32513)

*22 Helen Jones (Warrington North):    What representations he has had from church leaders concerning the problem of international debt.

(32514)

*23 Mr David Borrow (South Ribble):    What representations he has received on his policy to ensure economic stability through greater control of the public sector borrowing requirement.

(32515)

*24 Mr Ivor Caplin (Hove):    If he will make a statement on his policy to ensure economic stability for the small and medium sized business sector.

(32516)

*25 Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    What representations he has received from Church leaders about Government policy to reduce Third World debt.

(32517)

*26 Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):    What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the Mauritius mandate.

(32518)

*27 Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East):    What is his policy on reducing the debt burden of the poorest countries.

(32519)

*28 Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    What recent representations he has received on his policy to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries.

(32520)

*29 Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    What estimate he has made of the reduction in staffing at the Bank of England following the establishment of the proposed European Central Bank.

(32521)

*30 Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    What research he has evaluated into the advantage of equalising lower earnings levels at which tax and national insurance are first paid.

(32522)

*31 Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    How many representations he has received on his proposals for the Individual Savings Account; and when he expects to make progress on extending the opportunity for tax-exempt savings to the smaller saver.

(32523)

*32 Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):    What estimate he has made of the net cost to HM Treasury of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EU under the next quinquennial financial perspective.

(32524)

*33 Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    If he will make a statement on the steps currently being taken by his Department to prepare for the single European currency.

(32525)

*34 Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    What progress he is making at ECOFIN in persuading EU finance ministers to increase excise duty on tobacco and alcohol.

(32526)

*35 Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on his policy to spend the windfall levy on a welfare to work programme.

(32527)

*36 Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    What assessment he has made of the extent to which the British and continental European business cycles are becoming more synchronised; and if he will make a statement.

(32528)

*37 Kali Mountford (Colne Valley):    If he will make a statement on his policy on reducing the debt burden of the poorest countries.

(32529)

*38 Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):    What proportion of total local authority expenditure is met by (a) central government funds, (b) business rate payers and (c) council tax payers.

(32530)

*39 Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    What steps he is taking to promote long-term stability in interest rates.

(32531)

*40 Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst):    What representations he has received from associations representing tobacco retailers and/or manufacturers concerning illegal re-sale of tobacco imported from Belgium.

(32532)

At 3.30 p.m. Private Notice Questions (if any)
Ministerial Statements (if any)

Note: Provision has been made for a Business Motion to be moved at 10.00 p.m. (Standing Order No. 15).

Main Business
+ 1	EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BILL: As amended in the Committee, to be considered. *[Until any hour]*
For Amendments, see separate Paper.
Remaining stages may also be taken.
	*Debate may continue until any hour if the 10.00 p.m. Business Motion is agreed to.*

At 10.00 p.m.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [No debate]

The Prime Minister

That, at this day's sitting, the European Parliamentary Elections Bill may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 15).

+ 2	NORTHERN IRELAND *[No debate]*
	Secretary Marjorie Mowlam That the draft Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 1998, which was laid before this House on 2nd March, be approved. *To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).*
+ 3	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT *[No debate]*
	Secretary Margaret Beckett That the draft Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 1998, which was laid before this House on 18th February, be approved. *To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).*

At the end of the sitting:

4	ADJOURNMENT
	Proposed subject: The situation in Sierra Leone* (Mr Simon Hughes).* *Debate may continue until 10.30 p.m. or for half an hour, whichever is later (Standing Order No. 9).*

COMMITTEE MEETINGS
STANDING COMMITTEES
1	Standing Committee B	10.30 a.m. 4.30 p.m.	Room 10 (public) (public)
	Further to consider the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill.
2	Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	10.30 a.m.	Room 9 (public)
	To consider the draft Greater London Authority (Referendum Arrangements) Order 1998.
3	Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	4.30 p.m.	Room 9 (public)
	To consider the Special Grant Report (No. 32): Special Grant for Accommodation for Evacuees from Montserrat (HC 549).
SELECT COMMITTEES
4	Health	10.00 a.m. 10.30 a.m.	Room 15 (private) (public)
	Subject: Relationship between Health and Social Services.
	Witnesses: NHS Confederation.
5	Education and Employment: Employment Sub-Committee	10.30 a.m. 10.45 a.m.	Room 16 (private) (public)
	Subject: Part-time Working.
	Witnesses: Professor Jill Rubery, Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Professor Sylvia Walby, University of Leeds and Dr Robert Wilson, Institute for Employment Research, University of Warwick.
6	Treasury	10.30 a.m.	Room 8 (private)

[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.]

Written Questions tabled on Wednesday 11th March for answer today++
1	Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he will announce the outcome of his consultation on the new housing department within the Welsh Office.
	(34539)
2	Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures she is taking to alleviate the suffering of people living in Baghdad-controlled Iraq.
	(34609)
3	Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he has decided whether a public inquiry is to be held into Railtrack's application for an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 in respect of the Thameslink 2000 project.
	(34676)
4	Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will publish the Assessors' report into their survey of the 'Derbyshire'; if he will order the reopening of the formal investigation into the loss of the vessel; and if he will make a statement.
	(34677)
5	Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement about the requests from British Aerospace plc and Rolls-Royce plc for changes to their foreign shareholding limits.
	(34678)
6	Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement about the location of the National Assembly for Wales.
	(34734)

Standing Committee Notices

Standing Committee A will meet on Wednesday 18th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Waste Minimisation Bill.

Standing Committee C will meet on Wednesday 18th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Local Authority Tenders Bill.

Standing Committee D will meet on Wednesday 18th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Animal Health (Amendment) Bill.

Standing Committee E will meet on Wednesday 18th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider further the Road Traffic Reduction (United Kingdom Targets) Bill.

The Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 12th March to consider the draft Greater London Authority (Referendum Arrangements) Order 1998.

The Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 18th March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the Special Grant Report (No. 33): Community Care Special Grants for 1998-99 (HC 534).

The Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 19th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the draft Railways (Rateable Values) (Scotland) Order 1998.

European Standing Committee A will meet on Wednesday 25th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider European Community Document No 5357/98: Bananas.

European Standing Committee B will meet on Wednesday 25th March at 10.30 a.m. to consider European Community Documents Nos: 11165/97 and 11167/97: Aid to Shipbuilding.

Memorandum

On Wednesday 25th March, the subject for debate on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House between 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. will be two Select Committee reports chosen by the Liaison Committee under Standing Order No. 10(4).

Arrangements for the half-hour debates between 12.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. are unaffected and Members should apply for them in the usual way.

Oral Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
*1	Mr John Heppell (Nottingham East): What estimate he has made of the number of women who will benefit as a result of the windfall levy.
	(32493)
*2	Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): What estimate he has made of the domestic savings ratio in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998.
	(32494)
*3	Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): When he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss the interaction of monetary and economic policy.
	(32495)
*4	Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): What plans he has to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries.
	(32496)
*5	Mr David Amess (Southend West): What representations he has received on the use of petrol duty rates as a mechanism for achieving environmental objectives.
	(32497)
*6	Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): If he will make a statement on the distribution of the tax burden and public expenditure between different income groups.
	(32498)
*7	Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): What plans he has to restructure the public sector borrowing requirement in relation to European monetary policy.
	(32499)
*8	Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): What further discussions he has held with the IMF concerning the problems faced by South East Asian economies.
	(32500)
*9	Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): If he will seek to achieve a more competitive exchange rate level.
	(32501)
*10	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): What plans he has to compensate the NHS for the additional costs arising from the removal of VAT zero rating for home delivered continence products.
	(32502)
*11	Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston): What representations he has received from pensioners' organisations on his reduction in VAT on fuel.
	(32503)
*12	Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): What the reasons are for proceeding with the abolition of duty free within the EU in 1999 in advance of harmonisation or equalisation of taxation rates in member states.
	(32504)
*13	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): What he estimates will be the cost to holders of PEPs to transfer them to ISAs.
	(32505)
*14	Mr Alan W. Williams (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What assessment he has made of the correlation between the boom and bust phases in the economic cycle and the value of the pound, and the time lag involved.
	(32506)
*15	The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): What steps he has taken to achieve equalisation of taxes in the European Union.
	(32507)
*16	Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): What submissions he has received opposing his ISA proposals.
	(32508)
*17	Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): If he will make a statement on the current level of receipts from the windfall levy for spending on the welfare to work programme.
	(32509)
*18	Mr Stephen Timms (East Ham): What discussions he has had with Church leaders about the problems of highly-indebted developing countries.
	(32510)
*19	Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green): What consultations he has had about the number of tax bands in the income tax structure.
	(32511)
*20	Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): If he will assess the advantages of increasing public expenditure in the forthcoming financial year.
	(32512)
*21	Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): What assessment he has made of the impact of recent trends in manufactured exports on the balance of payments.
	(32513)
*22	Helen Jones (Warrington North): What representations he has had from church leaders concerning the problem of international debt.
	(32514)
*23	Mr David Borrow (South Ribble): What representations he has received on his policy to ensure economic stability through greater control of the public sector borrowing requirement.
	(32515)
*24	Mr Ivor Caplin (Hove): If he will make a statement on his policy to ensure economic stability for the small and medium sized business sector.
	(32516)
*25	Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): What representations he has received from Church leaders about Government policy to reduce Third World debt.
	(32517)
*26	Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan): What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the Mauritius mandate.
	(32518)
*27	Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East): What is his policy on reducing the debt burden of the poorest countries.
	(32519)
*28	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): What recent representations he has received on his policy to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries.
	(32520)
*29	Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): What estimate he has made of the reduction in staffing at the Bank of England following the establishment of the proposed European Central Bank.
	(32521)
*30	Mr David Rendel (Newbury): What research he has evaluated into the advantage of equalising lower earnings levels at which tax and national insurance are first paid.
	(32522)
*31	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): How many representations he has received on his proposals for the Individual Savings Account; and when he expects to make progress on extending the opportunity for tax-exempt savings to the smaller saver.
	(32523)
*32	Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood): What estimate he has made of the net cost to HM Treasury of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EU under the next quinquennial financial perspective.
	(32524)
*33	Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): If he will make a statement on the steps currently being taken by his Department to prepare for the single European currency.
	(32525)
*34	Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): What progress he is making at ECOFIN in persuading EU finance ministers to increase excise duty on tobacco and alcohol.
	(32526)
*35	Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West): What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on his policy to spend the windfall levy on a welfare to work programme.
	(32527)
*36	Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs): What assessment he has made of the extent to which the British and continental European business cycles are becoming more synchronised; and if he will make a statement.
	(32528)
*37	Kali Mountford (Colne Valley): If he will make a statement on his policy on reducing the debt burden of the poorest countries.
	(32529)
*38	Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): What proportion of total local authority expenditure is met by (a) central government funds, (b) business rate payers and (c) council tax payers.
	(32530)
*39	Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North): What steps he is taking to promote long-term stability in interest rates.
	(32531)
*40	Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst): What representations he has received from associations representing tobacco retailers and/or manufacturers concerning illegal re-sale of tobacco imported from Belgium.
	(32532)