| Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs |
| *1 |
Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): What representations he has received from the New Zealand Government on matters relating to trade between New Zealand and the United Kingdom. |
| (61419) |
| *2 |
Mr Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby): When he next expects to meet President Arafat to discuss the implementation of the Wye Agreement; and if he will make a statement. |
| (61420) |
| *3 |
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): What recent representations his Department has made on the issue of land reform in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. |
| (61421) |
| *4 |
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): If he will make a statement on the current situation regarding the Middle East Peace Process. |
| (61382) |
| *5 |
Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): When he next intends to visit Cuba to discuss the state of its economy. |
| (61383) |
| *6 |
Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): When he expects the UN to be able to conduct a referendum on the future of the Western Sahara. |
| (61385) |
| *7 |
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): If he will state his objectives for the Austrian EU presidency in respect of EU enlargement. |
| (61386) |
| *8 |
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): If he will make a statement on the extension of qualified majority voting as a result of the Treaty of Amsterdam. |
| (61387) |
| *9 |
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston): What discussions he has had with countries bordering the Former Republic of Yugoslavia about Kosovo. |
| (61388) |
| *10 |
The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): What recent representations he has made to the Government of Myanmar concerning treatment of the Karen population. |
| (61389) |
| *11 |
Mr Stephen Day (Cheadle): If he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Iraq. |
| (61390) |
| *12 |
Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): If he will discuss with his American counterpart future policy towards Iraq. |
| (61391) |
| *13 |
Mr Christopher Fraser (Mid Dorset and North Poole): What recent representations he has made to the government of Iraq concerning the status of United Nations Security Council Resolutions. |
| (61392) |
| *14 |
Helen Southworth (Warrington South): If he will make a statement on his Department's support for the international criminal tribunals in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. |
| (61393) |
| *15 |
Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): What assessment he has made of the impact of the activities of private military companies operating wholly or in part from the United Kingdom on the implementation of UK foreign policy objectives. |
| (61394) |
| *16 |
Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan): What discussions he has had with EU member states about Nigeria. |
| (61395) |
| *17 |
Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover): When he expects to meet other EU Foreign Ministers to discuss enlargement. |
| (61396) |
| *18 |
Mr Bill Rammell (Harlow): If he will make a statement on the progress of EU enlargement. |
| (61397) |
| *19 |
Jane Griffiths (Reading East): If he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's relations with Indonesia. |
| (61398) |
| *20 |
Bob Russell (Colchester): What plans he has to restore full British citizenship to residents of the island of St. Helena. |
| (61399) |
| *21 |
Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw): What assessment he has made of the whereabouts of missing in action Israeli airman Ron Arad. |
| (61400) |
| *22 |
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): When he expects the completion of the Agenda 2000 proposals. |
| (61401) |
| *23 |
Mr Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central): If he will visit Canada to discuss the creation of the new territory of Nunavut. |
| (61402) |
| *24 |
Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): When he last addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations; and what aspects of reform of the United Nations' finances were covered. |
| (61403) |
| *25 |
Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): If he will make a statement about progress on Agenda 2000. |
| (61404) |
| *26 |
Mr Mike Gapes (Ilford South): What assessment he has made of the implications for regional and international security of recent Iranian tests of long-range missiles. |
| (61405) |
| *27 |
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): When he next expects to meet the Prime Minister of Israel to discuss the Middle East Peace Process; and if he will make a statement. |
| (61406) |
| *28 |
Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill): If he will make a statement on UK relations with Burma. |
| (61407) |
| *29 |
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): What representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the funding of (a) Hizbollah and (b) Hamas. |
| (61408) |
| *30 |
Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): If he will make a statement on his policy in respect of Myanmar. |
| (61410) |
| *31 |
Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): What action is being taken to sponsor dialogue between the two communities in Cyprus. |
| (61411) |
| *32 |
Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): What assessment he has made of Iraq's compliance with United Nations resolutions. |
| (61412) |
| *33 |
Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): What progress has been made in resolving the issue of the proposed trial in The Hague of the alleged Lockerbie suspects. |
| (61413) |
| *34 |
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): If he will make a statement on his meeting with the 16 dissident Iraqi groups on 23rd November. |
| (61415) |
| *35 |
Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow): If he will make a statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
| (61416) |
| *36 |
Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): If he will make a statement on the current relations between China and the United Kingdom. |
| (61418) |
|
| Main Business |
| + 1 |
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.'.
|
| | Mr William Hague
Mr Peter Lilley
Mr Francis Maude
Sir George Young
Mr David Heathcoat-Amory
Mr James Arbuthnot |
| | As an Amendment to the Address, at end add--
`But humbly regret that the Gracious Speech contains no proposals to save jobs or help businesses, but instead continues the policies that are pushing Britain's economy into a sharper downturn than is forecast for any other major EU economy; call on the Government instead to pursue policies of maintaining Britain's competitiveness by reversing its proposals which increase costs on business and to return to the policies conducted by the previous Government which left a golden economic legacy of low inflation, steady and sustainable growth and falling unemployment; and also urge the Government to make a clear statement of its position on the question of European tax harmonisation.' |
| Proposed subject for debate: the economy. |
| | Debate may continue until 10.00 p.m. If an amendment is disposed of at or after 10.00 p.m., a further amendment selected by the Speaker may be moved, and the question will be put without debate. |
| + 2 |
AGRIMONETARY ARRANGEMENTS FOLLOWING THE |
| | INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO [No debate] |
| | The Prime Minister
Mr Secretary Prescott
Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mr Secretary Cook
Mr Secretary Straw
Mr Nicholas Brown |
| | That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 9597/98, two draft Council Regulations establishing agrimonetary arrangements and the transitional arrangements to be applied under the Common Agricultural Policy with a view to the introduction of the euro; and supports the Government's intention to support the proposals which simplify the current agrimonetary arrangements by moving to a system which more closely reflects market realities, reducing the costs to taxpayers, consumers and businesses, and also the scope for distortions of competition whilst respecting UK international obligations without discriminating against those Member States not participating in the euro.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 119(9)). |
| + 3 |
EC DEVELOPMENT AID TO SOUTH AFRICA (1986-1996) [No debate] |
| | The Prime Minister
Mr Secretary Prescott
Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mr Secretary Cook
Mr Secretary Straw
Secretary Clare Short |
| | That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 9690/98, the European Court of Auditors Special Report No. 7/98 on the European Development Aid Programme for South Africa (1986-1996) and its recommendations to the Commission; and supports the Government's position that these recommendations are practical and sensible and that the Government will work with Member States and other partners in all European Community development assistance programmes, and particularly in detailed arrangements to succeed the present EPRD in South Africa, after 1999, to ensure that these recommendations are fully implemented.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 119(9)).
|
| COMMITTEE MEETINGS |
| STANDING COMMITTEE |
| 1 |
First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation |
10.30 a.m. |
Room 9 (public) |
| To consider the draft Broadcasting (Restrictions on the Holding of Licences) (Amendment) Order 1998. |
| SELECT COMMITTEES |
| 2 |
Foreign Affairs |
9.45 a.m.
10.00 a.m. |
Room 15 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Vienna European Council. |
| Witness: Rt. Hon. Robin Cook, MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. |
| 3 |
Environmental Audit |
10.00 a.m. 10.30 a.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Multilateral Agreement on Investment. |
| Witness: Rt. Hon. Michael Meacher, MP, Minister for the Environment, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. |
| 4 |
International Development |
10.00 a.m. 10.30 a.m. |
Room 5 (private)
(public) |
| Subjects: (i) The Future of the EC Development Budget; (ii) Conflict Prevention and Post-Conflict Reconstruction (at 11.30 a.m.). |
| Witnesses: (i) Mr Clive Robinson, Christian Aid, Ms Helen O'Connell, One World Action, Ms Claire Godfrey, Oxfam; Mr Richard Wilson, Lecturer, School of African and Asian Studies, Sussex University (at 11.30 a.m.). |
| 5 |
Public Administration |
10.00 a.m.
11.00 a.m. |
Room 6 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Annual Report of the Health Service Commissioner for 1997-98. |
| Witnesses: British Medical Association (BMA) and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP); General Medical Council (at 12.00 noon). |
| 6 |
Trade and Industry |
10.00 a.m. |
Room 16 (public) |
| Subject: Draft Limited Liability Partnership Bill. |
| Witnesses: Department of Trade and Industry Officials; Association of Partnership Practitioners (at 11.00 a.m.); Mr Roderick Banks (at 11.30 a.m.); Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (at 12.00 noon); Professor Sikka, University of Essex (at 12.30 p.m.). |
| 7 |
Welsh Affairs |
10.00 a.m. |
Room 17 (private) |
| 8 |
Education and Employment |
3.45 p.m.
4.00 p.m. |
Room 15 (private)
(public) |
| |
| Witnesses: Mr Chris Hughes, Chief Executive, and Mr Terry Melia, Chairman, Further Education Development Agency; Ms Ann Limb, Principal, Cambridge Regional College, Mr George Sweeney, Principal, Knowsley Community College and Mr John Taylor, Principal, Park Lane College, Leeds, (at approximately 4.45 p.m.). |
| 9 |
Procedure |
4.00 p.m. |
Room 8 (private) |
| 10 |
Scottish Affairs |
4.00 p.m. |
Room 19 (private) |
| 11 |
Trade and Industry |
4.00 p.m. |
Room 16 (public) |
| Subject: Draft Limited Liability Partnership Bill. |
| Witnesses: Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants; the Law Society (at 4.20 p.m.); Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (at 4.50 p.m.); Construction Industry Council (at 5.10 p.m.); Association of British Insurers (at 5.40 p.m.). |
| 12 |
Administration |
5.30 p.m. |
Room 13 (private) |
| 13 |
Statutory Instruments |
Immediately after the meeting of the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments |
Room 7 (private) |
| JOINT COMMITTEES |
| 14 |
Statutory Instruments |
4.15 p.m. |
Room 7 (private) |
| [The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.] |
|
| Written Questions tabled on Monday 30th November for answer today++ |
1
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will announce the Government's response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of John Murray v the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62171) |
2
| Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will announce the full membership and terms of reference of the Scottish Fee Support Review Committee to be appointed under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. |
| (62172) |
3
| Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will announce changes in membership of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. |
| (62173) |
4
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow): To ask the President of the Council, if she will make a statement on the progress being made by central government departments and agencies and the wider public sector in tackling the millennium bug. |
| (62174) |
5
| Mr Marsha Singh (Bradford West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps the Government is taking to help small and medium sized businesses improve their environmental performance. |
| (62215) |
6
| Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what his plans are for the new Welsh agri-environment scheme, Tir Gofal. |
| (62216) |
7
| Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): To ask Mr Attorney General, what approach prosecutors take to reliance on inferences which may be drawn from silence during police questioning at a time when the suspect is denied access to legal advice, having regard to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in John Murray v United Kingdom. |
| (62217) |
8
| Mr Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what changes he proposes to make in the arrangements for the licensing of pelagic freezer trawlers and pair trawling; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62218) |
9
| Mr Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what arrangements are being made for the registration and licensing of the maximum continuous engine power of fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62219) |
10
| Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Prime Minister, what the composition and terms of reference are of the Cabinet Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness mentioned in the Pre-Budget Report. |
| (62254) |
11
| Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what arrangements are in place to authorise the export of controlled dual-use goods by the United Kingdom Government. |
| (62290) |
12
| Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what progress the Government has made in reviewing its policy on minewater pollution from abandoned mines. |
| (62291) |
13
| Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what awards have been made in the 18th Seaward Round of Petroleum Licensing; and what plans he has for future licensing rounds. |
| (62292) |
|
