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House of Commons

Thursday 8 May 1997

The House being met at half-past Two o'clock, and Madam Speaker-Elect having taken the Chair;

Message to attend the Lords Commissioners;

The House went; and, having returned--

Election of Speaker

Madam Speaker: I have to report to the House that, in the House of Peers, Her Majesty, by Her Royal Commissioners, has been pleased to approve the choice made of myself for the Office of Speaker, and that I have, in your name and on your behalf, made claim by humble petition to Her Majesty to all your ancient and undoubted rights and privileges, particularly to freedom of speech in debate, freedom from arrest and freedom of access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require, and that the most favourable construction may be placed upon all your proceedings. All these Her Majesty, by Her Commissioners, has been pleased to confirm in as ample a manner as they have ever been granted or confirmed by herself or by any of Her Royal Predecessors.

My first duty to the House is to report my respectful acknowledgments and my grateful thanks for the great honour you have conferred upon me in placing me in the Chair.

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Members Sworn

Madam Speaker: I must now call upon the Members of the House, according to the usual custom, to take the Oath of Allegiance at the Table of the House, but first I must do so myself.

Thereupon MADAM SPEAKER first, alone, standing upon the upper step of the Chair, took and subscribed the Oath.

Madam Speaker: Before Members proceed to the taking of the Oath, I regret to have to report to the House the death of Sir Michael Shersby, Member for Uxbridge. I am sure that hon. Members on both sides of the House will join me in mourning the loss of a colleague and extending sympathy to the hon. Member's family and his friends.

It may be for the convenience of the House if I indicate my intentions with regard to the taking of the Oath by right hon and hon. Members. I propose to call, first, the Father of the House; then the Cabinet; then the shadow Cabinet; then all the Privy Councillors not included in those two groups, wherever they may be sitting, and then other Ministers. Thereafter I shall call other hon. Members according to seniority determined by the basis of seniority, that is by the Parliament of first entry or, for those with broken service, that of most recent entry.

The first batch will be those elected in or before 1974. Thereafter I shall proceed by successive Parliaments. I hope by late this afternoon to have made sufficient progress to enable all Members to swear in who wish to do so up to and including those elected to the 1992 Parliament. The House will sit again tomorrow at 9.30, when I shall call those Members first elected to the current Parliament as well as Members elected to earlier Parliaments who were not able to take the Oath today.

Finally, the House will meet again next Tuesday at 2.30 to enable Members to take the Oath who have not done so this week.

I hope that this announcement will be helpful to Members in planning their programmes. Progress will depend, of course, on the number of Members wishing to take the Oath at any particular time. I advise Members to watch the annunciators to establish progress and to speak to their Whips. I hope also that Members will come forward in an orderly manner. Let us now begin.

The following Members took and subscribed the Oath, or made and subscribed the Affirmation required by law: Right honourable Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE, Old Bexley and Sidcup Right honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair, Sedgefield Right honourable John Major, Huntingdon Right honourable John Leslie Prescott, Kingston upon Hull, East Right honourable Winifred Ann, Mrs. Taylor, Dewsbury Right honourable Robert Finlayson Cook, Livingston Right honourable James Gordon Brown, Dunfermline, East Right honourable John Whitaker Straw, Blackburn Right honourable Margaret Mary, Mrs. Beckett, Derby, South

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Right honourable Gavin Steel Strang, Edinburgh, East and Musselburgh Right honourable David George Clark, South Shields Right honourable Marjorie Mowlam, Redcar Right honourable George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Hamilton, South Right honourable Alistair Maclean Darling, Edinburgh, Central Right honourable Ronald Davies, Caerphilly Right honourable John Anderson Cunningham, Copeland Right honourable Frank Gordon Dobson, Holborn and St. Pancras Right honourable Clare Short, Birmingham, Ladywood Right honourable David Blunkett, Sheffield, Brightside Right honourable Harriet Ruth Harman, Camberwell and Peckham Right honourable Christopher Robert Smith, Islington, South and Finsbury Right honourable Donald Campbell Dewar, Glasgow, Anniesland Right honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke QC, Rushcliffe Right honourable Nicholas Hugh Brown, Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend Right honourable Brian Stanley Mawhinney, North-West Cambridgeshire Right honourable Michael Howard QC, Folkestone and Hythe Right honourable Alistair Robertson Goodlad, Eddisbury Right honourable Douglas Martin Hogg QC, Sleaford and North Hykeham Right honourable Gillian Patricia, Mrs. Shephard, South-West Norfolk Right honourable Peter Bruce Lilley, Hitchen and Harpenden Right honourable William Jefferson Hague, Richmond, Yorks Right honourable Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Yeovil Right honourable Alan James Beith, Berwick- upon-Tweed Right honourable Gerald Bernard Kaufman, Manchester, Gorton Right honourable Robert Edward Sheldon, Ashton under Lyne Right honourable Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn, Chesterfield Right honourable Alan John Williams, Swansea, West Right honourable Sir Peter Frank Hannibal Emery, East Devon Right honourable Sir Peter Robert Cable Lloyd, Fareham Right honourable David John Maclean, Penrith and The Border Right honourable David Maurice Curry, Skipton and Ripon Right honourable David Michael Davis, Haltemprice and Howden

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Right honourable Eric Forth, Bromley and Chislehurst Right honourable John David Taylor, Strangford Right honourable John Michael Jack, Fylde Right honourable Michael Ancram, Devizes Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude, esquire, Horsham Right honourable Ann Noreen Widdecombe, Maidstone and The Weald Right honourable Peter Leonard Brooke CH, Cities of London and Westminster Right honourable Sir John Paul Stanley, Tonbridge and Malling Reverend Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, North Antrim Dafydd Wigley, esquire, Caernarfon Margaret Anne, Mrs. Ewing, Moray Winston James Griffiths, esquire, Bridgend Samuel Laird Gallbraith, esquire, Strathkelvin and Bearsden Peter Kilfoyle, esquire, Liverpool, Walton Walton John Hume, esquire, Foyle John McFall, esquire, Dumbarton Jonathan Owen Jones, esquire, Cardiff, Central Peter Gerald Hain, esquire, Neath George Foulkes, esquire, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley James Patrick Dowd, esquire, Lewisham, West Jane Elizabeth, Mrs. Kennedy, Liverpool, Wavertree Gregory James Pope, esquire, Hyndburn Bridget Theresa, Mrs. Prentice, Lewisham, East Kim Scott Howells, esquire, Pontypridd Right honourable Thomas Jeremy King CH, Bridgwater Graham William Allen, esquire, Nottingham, North Keith John Charles Bradley, esquire, Manchester, Withington Robert William Ainsworth, esquire, Coventry, North-East Sir Peter Hannay Bailey Tapsell, Louth and Horncastle Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, esquire, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Alan Thomas Howarth, esquire, CBE, Newport, East Paul Yaw Boateng, esquire, Brent, South Malcolm George Richardson Chisholm, esquire, Edinburgh, North and Leith Geoffrey William Hoon, esquire, Ashfield Kevin Michael Hughes, esquire, Doncaster, North John Francis Spellar, esquire, Warley Anthony Worthington, esquire, Clydebank and Milngavie Estelle Morris, Birmingham, Yardley Thomas McLaughlin McAvoy, esquire, Glasgow, Rutherglen Clive James Charles Betts, esquire, Sheffield, Attercliffe Elliot Anthony Morley, esquire, Scunthorpe Sir Richard Bernard Frank Stewart Body, Boston and Skegness Stephen Barry Jones, esquire, Alyn and Deeside Dennis Edward Skinner, esquire, Bolsover

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Thomas Michael Cox, esquire, Tooting Sir William David Madel, South-West Bedfordshire Sir Patrick Thomas Cormack, South Staffordshire Nicholas Raymond Winterton, esquire, Macclesfield Roger Stott, esquire, CBE, Wigan Sir William Michael Hardy Spicer, West Worcestershire Bruce Thomas George, esquire, Walsall, South Andrew Francis Bennett, esquire, Denton and Reddish Dennis Andrew Canavan, esquire, Falkirk, West William Ross, esquire, East Londonderry Right honourable Sir Geoffrey Johnson-Smith, Wealden Sir Raymond William Whitney OBE, Wycombe John David Home Robertson, esquire, East Lothian Brian Charles Sedgemore, esquire, Hackney, South and Shoreditch Sir Alan Gordon Barraclough Haselhurst, Saffron Walden Richard Lewis Page, esquire, South-West Hertfordshire Giles Heneage Radice, esquire, North Durham Dale Norman Campbell-Savours, esquire, Workington David Marshall, esquire, Glasgow, Shettleston Ernest Ross, esquire, Dundee, West John Alston Maxton, esquire, Glasgow, Cathcart Lawrence Francis Cunliffe, esquire, Leigh Sir Sydney Brookes Chapman, Chipping Barnet Martin John O'Neill, esquire, Ochil Sir Raymond Powell, Ogmore Andrew Welsh, esquire, Angus David Julian Winnick, esquire, Walsall, North Michael John Martin, esquire, Glasgow, Springburn Sir Edward Macmillan Taylor, Rochford and Southend, East Michael Keith Beale Colvin, esquire, Romsey James Marshall, esquire, Leicester, South Clive Stafford Soley, esquire, Ealing, Acton and Shepherds Bush Richard Charles Scrimgeour Shepherd, esquire, Aldridge-Brownhills John Arbuthnot Du Cane Wilkinson, esquire, Ruislip-Northwood John David McWilliam, esquire, Blaydon Frank Field, esquire, Birkenhead Reverend William Martin Smyth, Belfast, South Right honourable Stephen James Dorrell, Charnwood Marion Audrey, Mrs. Roe, Broxbourne Archibald Johnstone Kirkwood, esquire, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Simon Robert Key, esquire, Salisbury Roger James Gale, esquire, North Thanet Charles Frederick Wardle, esquire, Bexhill and Battle Jane Ann, Mrs. Winterton, Congleton Clifford Forsythe, esquire, South Antrim Alfred Cecil Walker, esquire, Belfast, North William Michie, esquire, Sheffield, Heeley Roy Beggs, esquire, East Antrim

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Andrew James MacKay, esquire, Bracknell John Valentine Butterfill, esquire, Bournemouth, West Francis Cook, esquire, Stockton, North Norman Anthony Godman, esquire, Greenock and Inverclyde John Mark Taylor, esquire, Solihull Michael Nicholson Lord, esquire, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Peter Leslie Pike, esquire, Burnley James Robert Wallace, esquire, Orkney and Shetland Charles Peter Kennedy, esquire, Ross, Skye and Inverness, West Robert Nelson Wareing, esquire, Liverpool, West Derby Terence Anthony Gordon Davis, esquire, Birmingham, Hodge Hill Robin Corbett, esquire, Birmingham, Erdington Malcolm Gray Bruce, esquire, Gordon Ann Clwyd, Cynon Valley William O'Brien, esquire, Normanton Patrick Allen McLoughlin, esquire, West Derbyshire Andrew Robert Frederick Hunter, esquire, Basingstoke Robert Victor Jackson, esquire, Wantage David Martin Hinchliffe, esquire, Wakefield Audrey, Mrs. Wise, Preston Alice, Mrs. Mahon, Halifax Maria, Mrs. Fyfe, Glasgow, Maryhill Simon Henry Ward Hughes, esquire, North Southwark and Bermondsey Eric Evelyn Illsley, esquire, Barnsley, Central Harold Barnes, esquire, North-East Derbyshire John Scott Cummings, esquire, Easington Ronald Campbell, esquire, Blyth Valley Donald Anderson, esquire, Swansea, East Gerald Neil Steinberg, esquire, City of Durham Timothy Eric Boswell, esquire, Daventry Simon Hugh McGuigan Burns, esquire, Chelmsford Patrick Charles Martyn Nicholls, esquire, Teignbridge James Douglas Cran, esquire, Beverley and Holderness Christopher John Fred Gill RD, esquire, Ludlow John McAllion, esquire, Dundee, East James Hood, esquire, Clydesdale Matthew Owen John Taylor, esquire, Truro and St. Austell Ieuan Wyn Jones, esquire, Ynys Mon Bernard Alexander Montgomery Grant, esquire, Tottenham Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, esquire, Banff and Buchan James Wray, esquire, Glasgow, Baillieston David Arthur Stephen Tredinnick, esquire, Bosworth Joan Mary, Mrs. Ruddock, Lewisham, Deptford Frank Doran, esquire, Aberdeen, Central Christopher John Mullin, esquire, Sunderland, South Eric Anthony Martlew, esquire, Carlisle

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James Norwich Arbuthnot, esquire, North-East Hampshire Ian Cameron Bruce, esquire, South Dorset Janet Ray, Mrs. Michie, Argyll and Bute Stephen Richard Day, esquire, Cheadle Catherine Letitia Hoey, Vauxhall William David Trimble, esquire, Upper Bann Right honourable Sir Archibald Gavin Hamilton, Epsom and Ewell Paul Phillip Flynn, esquire, Newport, West William John Olner, esquire, Nuneaton James Dolan Cunningham, esquire, Coventry, South Piara Singh Khabra, esquire, Ealing, Southall David George Hanson, esquire, Delyn Edward Henry Garnier, esquire, Harborough Andrew Peter Miller, esquire, Ellesmere Port and Neston Rachel Anne Squire, Dunfermline, West Malcolm Douglas Moss, esquire, North-East Cambridgeshire Gary Nicholas Streeter, esquire, South-West Devon Jean Ann Corston, Bristol, East George William Stevenson, esquire, Stoke-on-Trent, South William James Clappison, esquire, Hertsmere Nicholas Richard Ainger, esquire, Carmarthen, West and South Pembrokeshire Oliver Heald, esquire, North-East Hertfordshire Adam Paterson Ingram, esquire, East Kilbride Martyn David Jones, esquire, Clwyd, South Michael Clapham, esquire, Barnsley, West and Penistone Jeff Ennis, esquire, Barnsley, East and Mexborough Angela Frances, Mrs. Browning, Tiverton and Honiton Peter Landreth Atkinson, esquire, Hexham Katherine, Mrs. Adams, Paisley, North Roger Duncan Godsiff, esquire, Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath Lynne Mary Jones, Birmingham, Selly Oak Neil Francis Gerrard, esquire, Walthamstow Nigel Keith Anthony Standish Vaz, esquire, Leicester, East Margaret Eve, Mrs. Hodge MBE, Barking Thomas Pendry, esquire, Stalybridge and Hyde John Marek, esquire, Wrexham Bruce Joseph Grocott, esquire, Telford John Matthew Patrick Hutton, esquire, Barrow and Furness Donald Michael Ellison Foster, esquire, Bath Helen Margaret, Mrs. Jackson, Sheffield, Hillsborough David William George Chidgey, esquire, Eastleigh Michael St. John Trend, esquire, Windsor James Keith Chapman, esquire, Wirral, South Huw William Edmund Edwards, esquire, Monmouth

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William John Gunnell, esquire, Morley and Rothwell James Donnelly Touhig, esquire, Islwyn Hugh Bayley, esquire, City of York George Iain Duncan Smith, esquire, Chingford and Woodford Green Nicholas John Hawkins, esquire, Surrey Heath Tessa Jane Helen Douglas Jowell, Dulwich and West Norwood Joyce Gwendolen Quin, Gateshead, East and Washington, West Alan Milburn, esquire, Darlington William Etherington, esquire, Sunderland, North Gwyneth Patricia, Mrs. Dunwoody, Crewe and Nantwich Brian David Henderson Wilson, esquire, Cunninghame, North Cheryl Elise Kendall, Mrs. Gillan, Chesham and Amersham John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale, esquire, OBE, Maldon and East Chelmsford Geoffrey Robert Clifton Brown, esquire, Cotswold Roseanna Cunningham, Perth Peter James Bottomley, esquire, Worthing, West Gerry Sutcliffe, esquire, Bradford, South Richard Haines Burden, esquire, Birmingham, Northfield Joan Lorraine Walley, Stoke-on-Trent, North Ian Phares Pearson, esquire, Dudley, South James Edward Thornton Paice, esquire, South-East Cambridgeshire Denis MacShane, esquire, Rotherham Michael Connarty, esquire, Falkirk, East Richard Spring, esquire, West Suffolk John Heppell, esquire, Nottingham, East Michael Louis David Fabricant, esquire, Lichfield David Digby Rendel, esquire, Newbury Jon Hedley Trickett, esquire, Hemsworth Simon Patrick Tipping, esquire, Sherwood Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames, esquire, Mid Sussex Bernard Christison Jenkin, esquire, North Essex Dr. Anthony Wayland Wright, Cannock Chase Gordon Prentice, esquire, Pendle Anne Caroline Ballingall McIntosh, Vale of York Christopher James Fraser, esquire, Mid Dorset and North Poole Keith Robert Simpson, esquire, Mid Norfolk Julian Murray Lewis, esquire, New Forest, East Owen William Paterson, esquire, North Shropshire Howard Emerson Flight, esquire, Arundel and South Downs Barbara Maureen, Mrs. Roche, Hornsey and Wood Green Laurence Anthony Robertson, esquire, Tewkesbury Right honourable Sir George Samuel Knatchbull Young, North-West Hampshire Robert Andrew Raymond Syms, esquire, Poole Anthony Colman, esquire, Putney Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw, esquire, Exeter

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Fraser Kemp, esquire, Houghton and Washington, East Ian Arthur Cawsey, esquire, Brigg and Goole Rudolf Jan Vis, esquire, Finchley and Golders Green Andrew David Lansley, esquire, South Cambridgeshire Michael Thomas Hancock, esquire, Portsmouth, South Richard Arthur Lloyd Livsey, esquire, Brecon and Radnorshire Lembit Opik, esquire, Montgomeryshire Jennifer Louise Tonge, Richmond Park Edward Jonathon Davey, esquire, Kingston and Surbiton Paul Kenneth Burstow, esquire, Sutton and Cheam Denis Murphy, esquire, Wansbeck Julian William Hendy Brazier, esquire, TD, Canterbury Paul Archer Tyler, esquire, CBE, North Cornwall Malcolm Hunt Wicks, esquire, Croydon, North Desmond Stanley Turner, esquire, Brighton, Kemptown Peter Michael Ainsworth, esquire, East Surrey Christine Margaret Butler, Castle Point Helen Mary Jones, Warrington, North Jovanka Humble, Blackpool, North and Fleetwood Andrew Hartley Dismore, esquire, Hendon Anthony James McNulty, esquire, Harrow, East James Fitzpatrick, esquire, Poplar and Canning Town Llewellyn Thomas Smith, esquire, Blaenau Gwent Clare Judith Mallaber, Amber Valley Linda Gilroy, Plymouth, Sutton Christine Margaret Russell, City of Chester Jennifer Grace Jones, Wolverhampton, South-West Right honourable John Roddick Russell MacGregor OBE, South Norfolk Roger Leslie Berry, esquire, Kingswood Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, esquire, Lagan Valley

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John Martin McDonnell, esquire, Hayes and Harlington Gareth Richard Thomas, esquire, Harrow, West Mark Wainwright Todd, esquire, South Derbyshire Ann Lloyd Keen, Brentford and Isleworth Colin Burgon, esquire, Elmet David Anthony Lock, esquire, Wyre Forest John Cradock Maples, esquire, Stratford-on-Avon Eleanor Fulton Laing, Epping Forest Andrew Stunell, esquire, Hazel Grove Melanie Jane Johnson, Welyn Hatfield Phyllis Margaret Starkey, Milton Keynes, South-West Jacqueline Jill Smith, Redditch Paul Stuart Keetch, esquire, Hereford William John Thompson, esquire, West Tyrone Thomas Hilton Dawson, esquire, Lancaster and Wyre Ann Coffey, Stockport Ian Graham Davidson, esquire, Glasgow, Pollok Anne Campbell, Cambridge Harold Best, esquire, Leeds, North-West Anthony Richard Clark, esquire, Northampton, South Stephen Creswell Timms, esquire, East Ham Donald Cameron Easterbrook Gorrie, esquire, Edinburgh, West Paul Gerard Goggins, esquire, Wythenshawe and Sale, East Hazel Anne Blears, Salford Stephen Pelham Pound, esquire, Ealing, North

ADJOURNMENT

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn until tomorrow at half-past Nine o'clock.--[Mr. Betts.]

Adjourned accordingly at three minutes to Five o'clock.

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