 House of Commons |
Session 1997-1998 |
| Commons Journal 254
Chronological Index
Page 28 1997-1998 Volume 254 [No. 8.] Monday 19th May 1997. The House met at half-past Two o'clock. PRAYERS.
The Lords communicate that they have come to the following Resolutions in respect of the City of Westminster Bill [Lords], the Girobank plc (Transfer) Bill [Lords], the Hailsham Cattle Market Bill [Lords], the Lloyds TSB Bill [Lords] and the London Local Authorities Bill [Lords], viz: That the promoters of the bills which originated in the House of Lords in the last Parliament but had not received the Royal Assent shall notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders or practice of the House of Lords have leave to introduce the said bills in the present Session and the petitions for the bills shall be deemed to have been deposited and all Standing Orders applicable thereto shall be deemed to have been complied with; That every such bill shall be deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments not later than 3 o'clock on Wednesday 21st May next with a declaration annexed thereto signed by the agent concerned, stating that the bill is the same in every respect as the bill at the last stage of the proceedings thereon in the House of Lords in the last Parliament; That the proceedings on such bills shall in the present Session of Parliament be pro forma only in regard to every stage through which the same shall have passed in the last Parliament, and that no new fees be charged to such stages.
Most Gracious Sovereign, We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament; And the Question being again proposed:—The House resumed the adjourned Debate. Page 29 Monday 19th May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top An Amendment was proposed to the Question, at the end, to add the words ‘but humbly regret the lack of a firm commitment to implement the provisions of the Crime (Sentences) Bill 1997 to give second time serious violent and sexual offenders automatic life sentences from October 1997; seek the reinstatement of the original provisions of that Bill to give third time burglars and dealers in hard drugs mandatory minimum sentences of three and seven years respectively, save in exceptional circumstances; congratulate the previous Government on its achievements in tackling crime and protecting the public; and believe that the implications of the Government's proposal to incorporate the European Covention on Human Rights into British law should be carefully examined'.—(Mr David Maclean.) And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made; The House divided. Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Bowen Wells, Mr Patrick McLoughlin: 151. Tellers for the Noes, Mr John McFall, Mr Jim Dowd: 422. So the Question was negatived. And the Main Question being again proposed; And it being after Ten o'clock, the Debate stood adjourned. Ordered, That the Debate be resumed to-morrow.
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till seven minutes to Eleven o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow. [Adjourned at 10.53 p.m. APPENDIX Papers presented or laid upon the Table: Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
Other Papers:
(1) University of Portsmouth, and (2) The Skye Bridge [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 4 and 5] [Clerk of the House].
Page 30 Monday 19th May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top [No. 9.] Tuesday 20th May 1997. The House met at half-past Two o'clock. PRAYERS.
Thomas Graham, Esquire ... ... ... for West Renfrewshire
Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee),—The Lords communicate that they have come to the following Resolution, viz.: That it is desirable that a Joint Committee of both Houses be appointed to scrutinise delegated legislation; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House.
Most Gracious Sovereign, We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament; And the Question being again proposed:—The House resumed the adjourned Debate. Another Amendment was proposed to the Question, at the end, to add the words ‘but humbly regret that there is no mention in the Gracious Speech of the healthy economic climate in the country with rising living standards, low inflation, public finances moving towards balance and further falls in unemployment, deplore the Government's granting of operational independence to the Bank of England without any Parliamentary debate or statement; and urge the Government not to sign the Social Chapter, introduce a minimum wage, or to damage the United Kingdom's flexible labour market in any way by adopting European labour and social legislation'.—(Mr Kenneth Clarke.) And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made; The House divided. Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Richard Ottaway, Mr Bowen Wells: 156. Tellers for the Noes, Jane Kennedy, Mr David Clelland: 446. So the Question was negatived. Another Amendment was proposed to the Question, at the end, to add the words ‘but, while welcoming the inclusion in the Gracious Speech of reforming measures such as the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom law, the granting of autonomy in setting interest rates to the Bank of England, the introduction of regional development agencies and the proposals to grant devolution for Scotland and Wales, humbly regret the absence of any commitment to provide sufficient resources to raise standards in education and resolve the funding crisis in the National Health Service; further regret the absence of any stated timetable for the introduction of electoral reform for elections to the European Parliament and a Freedom of Information Act; are concerned by the absence of measures which will protect the environment, and the lack of urgency in the introduction of measures to redress the reduction of responsibility which has been suffered by local authorities; and believe that the retrospective and regressive windfall tax is an inadequate means of funding the necessary programmes to get the young unemployed back to work'.—(Mr Malcolm Bruce.) And the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 33 (Calling of amendments at end of debate), That the Amendment be made; The House divided. Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Paul Tyler, Mr Andrew Stunnell: 54. Tellers for the Noes, Mr David Clelland, Jane Kennedy: 380. Page 31 Tuesday 20th May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top So the Question was negatived. And the Main Question being put; The House divided. Tellers for the Ayes, Mr David Clelland, Jane Kennedy: 421. Tellers for the Noes, Mr Bowen Wells, Mr Richard Ottaway: 151. So the Question was agreed to. Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows— Most Gracious Sovereign, We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament. Address to be presented to Her Majesty by such Members of this House as are of Her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council or Her Majesty's Household.
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till twenty-nine minutes to Twelve o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow. [Adjourned at 11.31 p.m. APPENDIX Papers presented or laid upon the Table: Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
Other Papers:
Page 32 Tuesday 20th May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top [No. 10.] Wednesday 21st May 1997. The House met at half-past Nine o'clock. PRAYERS.
And it being Two o'clock, the Motion for the adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
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 Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill because it would ask voters to give blanket approval to proposals in advance of legislation being published, debated, amended or agreed; and believes that such referendums should only be held after full and detailed scrutiny of the legislation in question on the floor of the House of Commons', instead thereof.—(Mr Michael Howard.) And the Question being proposed, That the Amendment be made; And it being Ten o'clock, the Debate stood adjourned. Ordered, That the Debate be resumed to-morrow.
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till twenty-nine minutes past Ten o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow. [Adjourned at 10.29 p.m. APPENDIX Papers presented or laid upon the Table: Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
(2) Statute made by the Governing Body of St. John Baptist College, Oxford, on 8th November 1996 amending the Statutes of the College [by Act] [Mrs Ann Taylor]. Other Papers:
Page 33 Wednesday 21st May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top (2) Report by the Bank of England on the exercise of its functions under the Banking Act 1987 for the period 1st March 1996 to 28th February 1997 [by Act] [Mrs Helen Liddell].
(1) Ashford Hospital, (2) Brighton Healthcare, (3) Epsom Healthcare, (4) Heatherwood & Wexham Park Hospitals, (5) Isle of Wight Healthcare, (6) James Paget Hospital, (7) North Tees Health, (8) Plymouth Community Services, (9) Queen Mary's Sidcup, (10) Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals, (11) Royal Surrey County Hospital, (12) St James and Seacroft University Hospitals, (13) St Peters Hospital, (14) United Bristol Healthcare, and (15) Wiltshire Health Care [by Act] [Mr Secretary Dobson].
(2) Regulations for the Royal Naval Reserve [by Act] [Mr Secretary Robertson].
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS
Page 34 Wednesday 21st May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top [No. 11.] Thursday 22nd May 1997. The House met at half-past Two o'clock. PRAYERS.
Which Amendment was 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 Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill because it would ask voters to give blanket approval to proposals in advance of legislation being published, debated, amended or agreed; and believes that such referendums should only be held after full and detailed scrutiny of the legislation in question on the floor of the House of Commons', instead thereof; And the Question being again proposed, That the Amendment be made:—The House resumed the adjourned Debate; And the Question being put; The House divided. Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Richard Ottaway, Mr Peter Ainsworth: 155. Tellers for the Noes, Bridget Prentice, Janet Anderson: 406. 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. A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills), That the Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole House—(Mr Secretary Davies):—It was agreed to. Committee on Monday 2nd June.
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 Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill, it is expedient to authorise— Page 35 Thursday 22nd May 1997 1997-1998 Volume 254 Back to top (1) the charging on and payment out of the Consolidated Fund of any expenditure which is to be charged on and paid out of that Fund by virtue of any enactment applied by an Order in Council under the Act; and (2) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure of the Secretary of State— (a) in connection with a referendum held by virtue of the Act, or (b) in preparation for the establishment of a Scottish Parliament or a Welsh Assembly—(Mr David Clelland):—It was agreed to.
And it being Ten o'clock, the Motion for the Adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put.
And accordingly the House, having continued to sit till half-past Ten o'clock, adjourned till Monday 2nd June, pursuant to Resolution [19th May]. [Adjourned at 10.30 p.m. APPENDIX Papers presented or laid upon the Table: Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
(2) Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations 1997 (S.I., 1997, No. 1332), dated 19th May 1997 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott]. Other Papers:
(1) Contingent Liabilities in the Dependent Territories, (2) Contract to Develop and Operate the Replacement National Insurance Recording System, and (3) Sales of Scottish New Towns' Commercial and Industrial Properties [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 13, 12 and 14] [Clerk of the House].
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