| Main Business |
| + 2 |
QUEEN'S SPEECH (MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS): Adjourned Debate on Question [24th November]. [Until 10.00 p.m.] |
| | Motion made, and Question proposed, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:
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--(Mr Joe Ashton ):-- |
| | Mr Paddy Ashdown
Mr A. J. Beith
Mr Robert Maclennan
Mr James Wallace
Mr Richard Livsey
Mr Paul Tyler |
| | As an Amendment to the Address, at end add--
`But humbly regret, while supporting some proposals in the Gracious Speech, such as those which address the issues of ending the voting rights of hereditary peers and improving the administration of the tax and national insurance system, the absence of key measures in the Gracious Speech to modernise the United Kingdom, including a comprehensive package of environmental policies to tackle pollution, reduce car journeys and switch travel to public transport, a second tier pension scheme, a judicial process to replace the Child Support Agency and the introduction of a parliamentary committee to scrutinise arms exports; believe that additional measures to improve public health, reduce class sizes, abolish tuition fees, widen the provision of early years education and to tackle age discrimination and other forms of inequality should have been brought forward; call for urgent measures to pave the way for Britain's membership of a successful single currency and to grant proper financial independence and a fair and proportional voting system to local government; further regret any delays in introducing a Food Standards Agency; deprecate the absence of rapid progress on measures to ensure a wide-ranging Freedom of Information Act, to pave the way for a referendum on a fair voting system for the House of Commons and to deliver a fully reformed and predominantly elected Second Chamber; and support all possible early steps to speed the passage of the European Parliamentary Elections Bill in order to allow the 1999 European parliamentary elections to be held under a fairer, proportional, voting system.'. |
| Proposed subject for debate: health and welfare. |
| Debate may continue until 10.00 p.m. |
| + 3 |
OFFICE COSTS ETC. ALLOWANCES [No debate after 10.00 p.m.] |
| | Margaret Beckett
That, in the opinion of this House, the following provisions should have effect:
(1) The limit on the office costs allowance in relation to Miss Anne Begg should be 1.55 times that determined in accordance with paragraph (a) of the Resolution of the House of 10th July 1996 for any quarter beginning with 1st April 1998.
(2) The limit on the additional costs allowance in relation to Miss Anne Begg should be 1.55 times that determined in accordance with paragraph (1) of Part C of the Resolution of the House of 13th July 1994 for any year beginning with 1st April 1998. |
| If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 p.m. |
| + 4 |
PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE [No debate after 10.00 p.m.] |
| | Margaret Beckett
That in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 30th July 1997 in the last session of Parliament, a Select Committee of six Members be appointed to join with a Committee to be appointed by the Lords, as the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege, to review parliamentary privilege and make recommendations thereon;
That three be the Quorum of the committee;
That the Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers, and records; to sit notwithstanding any Adjournment of the House; to report from time to time; and to appoint specialist advisers to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee's order of reference;
That the proceedings of the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege in the last session of Parliament be referred to the Committee;
That Mr Attorney General, the Lord Advocate, Mr Solicitor General and Mr Solicitor General for Scotland, being Members of either House, may attend the Committee, may take part in deliberations, may receive Committee papers and may give such other assistance to the Committee as may be appropriate, but shall not vote or make any Motion or move any Amendment or be counted in the Quorum;
That Mr Joe Benton, Sir Patrick Cormack, Mr Bill Michie, Mrs Ann Taylor, Mr Paul Tyler and Mr Alan Williams be members of the Committee. |
| If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 p.m. |
| + 5 |
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [No debate after 10.00 p.m.] |
| | Margaret Beckett
That Private Members' Bills shall have precedence over government business on 26th February, 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th March, 16th, 23rd and 30th April, 7th, 14th and 21st May, 11th June and 23rd July 1999. |
| If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 p.m. |
| + 6 |
SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE [No debate] |
| | Margaret Beckett
That the House shall not sit on the following Fridays:
4th, 11th and 18th December 1998 and 15th, 22nd and 29th January, 5th and 12th February, 9th July and 22nd October 1999. |
| To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 12). |
| COMMITTEE MEETINGS |
| SELECT COMMITTEES |
| 1 |
Culture, Media and Sport |
10.00 a.m.
11.00 a.m. |
Room 15 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Back to the Dome. |
| Witnesses: London Transport (including London Underground). |
| 2 |
Health |
10.00 a.m.
10.30 a.m. |
Room 6 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Future NHS Staffing Requirements. |
| Witnesses: Department of Health officials; Professor Sir Colin Campbell, Chairman, Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee. |
| 3 |
International Development |
10.00 a.m.
10.30 a.m. |
Room 21 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: The Future of the EC Development Budget. |
| Witness: Mr Phillip Lowe, Director-General, DGVIII, European Commission. |
| 4 |
Education and Employment: Employment Sub-Committee |
10.30 a.m. |
Room 18 (private) |
| 5 |
Treasury |
10.30 a.m.
10.45 a.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: The Bank of England November Inflation Report. |
| Witnesses: The Governor of the Bank of England and members of the Monetary Policy Committee. |
| 6 |
Treasury Sub-Committee |
3.45 p.m.
4.00 p.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Office for National Statistics. |
| Witnesses: Ms Patricia Hewitt MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Minister responsible for the Office of National Statistics, Mr Tim Holt, Director of the Office for National Statistics and Head of the Government Statistical Service, and Mr Joe Grice, Deputy Director, Macro-economic Policy and Prospects, HM Treasury. |
| [The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.] |
|
| Written Questions tabled on Wednesday 25th November for answer today++ |
1
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the United Kingdom continues to impose an arms embargo on Afghanistan in line with the EU's Common Position of 17th December 1996. |
| (61609) |
2
| Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to announce the provisional local government finance settlement for 1999-2000. |
| (61635) |
3
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what measures he has taken to implement the conclusions of the Government's Review of the Scottish water industry; and if he will make a statement. |
| (61682) |
4
| Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many trainees are currently held at Medway Secure Training Centre; and if he will make a statement. |
| (61711) |
5
| Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will announce the results of the audit of commercial dog facilities that was announed in July 1997. |
| (61712) |
6
| Mr Peter Bradley (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee and the Committee's report on its review of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if he will make further appointments to the Committee. |
| (61713) |
|
| Standing Committee Notices |
| The First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Tuesday 1st December at 10.30 a.m. to consider the draft Broadcasting (Restrictions on the Holding Licences) (Amendment) Order 1998. |
| The Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 2nd December at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Functions of Traffic Wardens (Scotland) Order 1998. |
| The Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 2nd December at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Ireland) Order 1998. |
| The Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 3rd December at 10.30 a.m. to consider the draft Forensic Science Trading Fund Order 1998. |
| The Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 3rd December at 10.30 a.m. to consider the draft Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998. |
| The Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 3rd December at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Value Added Tax (Input Tax) (Amendment) Order (S.I., 1998, No. 2767). |
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