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House of Commons

Session 1998-99 Publications on the internet Summary Agendas and Orders of Business

Order of Business Wednesday 24th March 1999 Here you can browse the House of Commons Order of Business for Wednesday 24 March 1999.

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.

At 9.30 a.m.

Prayers

Afterwards
Adjournment Debates

1	ADJOURNMENT    [Until 2.00 p.m.]
	The Prime Minister
	That this House do now adjourn.
	Subjects proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House:
	9.30 a.m. - 11.00 a.m.	Mr Kelvin Hopkins	Transport in the Eastern Region.
	11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.	Mr Edward Davey	Metropolitan Police budget for 1999-2000.
	12.30 p.m. - 1.00 p.m.	Mr Michael Clapham	Noise levels at work.
	1.00 p.m. - 1.30 p.m.	Dr Jenny Tonge	Teenage pregnancy.
	1.30 p.m. - 2.00 p.m.	Mr Tam Dalyell	Bombing of El Shifa factory.
	The Motion for the Adjournment of the House will lapse at 2.00 p.m. and the sitting will be suspended until 2.30 p.m. (Standing Order No. 10).

At 2.30 p.m.

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
*1	Mr Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby):    What measures she is taking to support enterprise in Northern Ireland.
	(76679)
*2	Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    When the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland will be established.
	(76680)
*3	Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):    If each hospital providing accident and emergency services in Northern Ireland will receive accident and emergency targeted funding as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his budget; and if she will make a statement.
	(76681)
*4	Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    If she will make a statement on the progress of the peace process.
	(76682)
*5	Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    What recent representations she has received on when the decommissioning of illegally-held weapons and explosives will begin.
	(76683)
*6	Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):    What progress is being made with the Northern Ireland political parties to implement the Good Friday Agreement.
	(76684)
*7	Joan Ryan (Enfield North):    What measures she is taking to tackle crime in Northern Ireland.
	(76685)
*8	Jane Griffiths (Reading East):    What representations she has received relating to the Human Rights Commission's work.
	(76686)
*9	Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    If she will make a statement on discussions she has held with the Irish Government on ways of improving fishing opportunities in the Irish Sea.
	(76687)
*10	Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    What meetings she has had with the Irish Government about the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in the last month.
	(76688)
*11	Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):    If she will make a statement on progress on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.
	(76689)
*12	Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood):    If she will make a statement on progress in implementing the Good Friday Agreement.
	(76690)
*13	Paul Flynn (Newport West):    What new proposals she has to improve the quality of teaching through the medium of Irish.
	(76691)
*14	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    If she will make a statement on the impact of the euro on North-South relationships in the island of Ireland.
	(76692)
*15	Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    What assessment she has made of progress on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives.
	(76693)
*16	Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green):    If she will make a statement on progress towards the resolution of the problems relating to the Orange Order parade at Drumcree.
	(76694)
*17	Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East):    What impact the Budget will have on health care provision in Northern Ireland.
	(76695)
*18	Mr William Thompson (West Tyrone):    What estimate she has made of the total compensation payable as a result of the Omagh bomb.
	(76696)
*19	Mr John Grogan (Selby):    If she will make a statement on the Government's policy on a national sports stadium in Northern Ireland.
	(76697)
*20	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    If she will make a statement on the work of the Human Rights Commission.
	(76698)
*21	The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):    What report she has received from General De Chastelain on the status of parties in the Assembly in relation to decommissioning.
	(76699)
*22	Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):    What estimate she has made of the number of punishment beatings since the Good Friday Agreement; and in how many of the cases charges have been laid against alleged perpetrators.
	(76700)
*23	Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    How many young people under 25 years have participated in the New Deal in Northern Ireland to date; and how many of those are now in work.
	(76701)
*24	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    What proposals she has to introduce the Government's lifelong learning programme in Northern Ireland.
	(76702)
*25	Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    If she will consider the purchase of arms from paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland as part of the process of decommissioning.
	(76703)
*26	Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes):    What progress is being made towards the resolution of the problems over the Orange Order parade at Drumcree.
	(76704)
*27	Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central):    When the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland will be established.
	(76705)
*28	Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    When she last met the Taoiseach to discuss matters relating to the issue of the decommissioning of paramilitary weaponry.
	(76706)
*29	Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):    What assessment she has made of progress on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives.
	(76707)
*30	Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East):    If she will make a statement on the progress of the peace process.
	(76708)

At 3.00 p.m.

Oral Questions to the Prime Minister
*Q1	Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76709)
*Q2	Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76710)
*Q3	Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76711)
*Q4	Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76712)
*Q5	Angela Smith (Basildon):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76713)
*Q6	Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76714)
*Q7	Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76715)
*Q8	Mr Christopher Fraser (Mid Dorset and North Poole):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76716)
*Q9	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76717)
*Q10	Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76718)
*Q11	Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76719)
*Q12	Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76720)
*Q13	Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76721)
*Q14	Mr Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76722)
*Q15	Bob Russell (Colchester):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76723)
*Q16	Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76724)
*Q17	Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76725)
*Q18	Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76726)
*Q19	Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76727)
*Q20	Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst):    If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24th March.
	(76728)

At 3.30 p.m.

Private Notice Questions (if any) Ministerial Statements (if any)

---

Preliminary Business

Notice of Presentation of Bill

2	WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE (AMENDMENT)    [No debate]
	Mr James Wallace     Bill to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to acts of recklessness, time limits for bringing proceedings and penalties.
Formal first reading: no debate or decision.

Ten minute rule Motion

3	PENSIONS (AMENDMENT)    [Up to 20 minutes]
	Mr Andrew Mackinlay     That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Secretary of State to report annually on service pensions, war pensions and war widows' pensions.     The Member moving and a Member opposing this Motion may each speak for up to ten minutes (Standing Order No. 23).

---

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

---

Main Business
+  4	REFORM OF THE STRUCTURAL AND COHESION FUNDS    [No debate]
	The Prime Minister Mr Secretary Prescott Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Secretary Cook Mr Secretary Straw Mr Secretary Byers
	That this House takes note of the unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry on 17th April 1998 relating to reform of the Structural Funds, the unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry on 17th April 1998 relating to Agenda 2000, reform of the Cohesion Fund, and European Union Document No. 5480/99, an amended draft Council Regulation on the European Regional Fund; and supports the Government's view that reform of the European Structural and Cohesion Funds is essential in preparation for enlargement and should be concluded by a fair, affordable and durable outcome for all Member States; agrees that the Cohesion Fund is no longer justified where Member States have been admitted to Stage 3 of EMU, and should be phased out as soon as possible, and that the European Development Fund Regulation provides a suitable basis for the use of that Fund.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 119(9)).
+  5	LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL (ALLOCATION OF TIME)    [Up to 3 hours]
	Margaret Beckett Mr Secretary Prescott
	That the following provisions shall apply to remaining proceedings on the Local Government Bill:

Timetable

    1. Proceedings on Consideration and on Third Reading shall be completed at the sitting this day and shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, five hours after the commencement of proceedings on this Motion.

Questions to be put

    2. For the purpose of bringing proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 1 the Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions (but no others)--

    (a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;

    (b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;

    (c) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a Minister of the Crown;

    (d) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded.

    3. On a Motion made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.

Miscellaneous

    4. Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on the Bill at the sitting this day; and the proceedings shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.

    5. The proceedings on any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion one hour after commencement; and Standing Order No. 15(1) shall apply to those proceedings.

    6. Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to proceedings on the Bill.

    7. No Motion shall be made, except by a Minister of the Crown, to alter the order in which proceedings on the Bill are taken or to recommit the Bill; and if a Minister makes a Motion to alter the order of proceedings or to recommit the Bill, the Question shall be put forthwith.

    8. No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to the Bill except by a Minister of the Crown.

    9. If at the sitting this day a Motion for the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 24 stands over to Seven o'clock and proceedings on this Motion have begun before that time, the Motion for the Adjournment shall stand over until the conclusion of proceedings on the Bill.

    10. If the House is adjourned at the sitting this day, or the sitting is suspended, before the conclusion of proceedings on the Bill, no notice shall be required of a Motion made at the next sitting by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order.

    The Speaker will put the Question not more than three hours after proceedings begin (Standing Order No. 83). This period may continue or commence after 10.00 p.m. 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 Local Government Bill (Allocation of Time) Motion may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 15).

---

+  6	LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL:    As amended in the Standing Committee, to be further considered.    [Up to 5 hours]
For Amendments, see separate Paper.
Third Reading may also be taken.
	Mr Paddy Ashdown Mr A. J. Beith Mr Paul Burstow Mr Richard Livsey Mr Adrian Sanders Mr Paul Tyler
	On Third Reading of the Local Government Bill, to move, That this House, while welcoming the Government's commitment to abolishing compulsory competitive tendering and the transfer of powers regarding local government in Wales from the Secretary of State to the National Assembly, declines to give the Local Government Bill a Third Reading because powers to limit local government expenditure should be held not by Ministers or central Government, but by local electors; because Best Value has taken the form of excessive centralised prescription, with local government given no freedom without the approval of the Secretary of State or the National Assembly in Wales; and because the Government's commitment to abolish the crude and universal capping of their predecessors has been replaced with a new form of crude and universal capping in the form of council tax benefit subsidy limitation and a more secretive and selective form of budget capping.            Proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion five hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Local Government Bill (Allocation of Time) Motion, if that Motion is agreed to.
+  7	SOCIAL SECURITY    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Darling     That the draft Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 4th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  8	FAMILY LAW    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Darling     That the draft Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 8th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  9	FAMILY LAW    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Darling     That the draft Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 8th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  10	NATIONAL LOTTERY    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Smith     That the draft New Opportunities Fund (Specification of Initiatives) Order 1999, which was laid before this House on 11th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  11	INTERNATIONAL IMMUNITIES AND PRIVILEGES    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Cook     That the draft International Mobile Satellite Organisation (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1999, which was laid before this House on 25th February, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  12	CRIMINAL LAW (SCOTLAND)    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Dewar     That the draft Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (Application to Summary Proceedings) Order 1999, which was laid before this House on 8th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  13	CONSTITUTIONAL LAW    [No debate]
	Mr Secretary Dewar     That the draft Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999, which was laid before this House on 8th March, be approved.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).
+  14	TRAVEL BY MEMBERS TO NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS AND EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS    [No debate after 10.00 p.m.]
	Margaret Beckett Paddy Tipping
	That the Resolution of 6th December 1991 relating to travel by Members to European Community Institutions be rescinded.     That, in the opinion of this House, provision should be made as from 1st April 1999 for reimbursing Members in respect of the cost of travelling on parliamentary duties between the United Kingdom and any European Union institution in Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg or the national parliament of another European Union member state and any additional expenses necessarily incurred in such travelling, subject to the limit that     (1) the amount payable to a Member in any year, beginning with 1st April, shall not exceed the aggregate of--     (a) the cost of a return business class airfare for the journey on the assumption that the journey begins and ends at a London airport and that the destination is any of the three cities mentioned above or the location of the national parliament of a European Union member state; and     (b) twice the corresponding civil service class A standard subsistence rate for the time being in operation; and     (2) expenditure in pursuance of this Resolution within financial year 1999-2000 shall not exceed the total currently planned for expenditure on travel by Members to European Union institutions within that year.
If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 p.m.

At the end of the sitting:

15	ADJOURNMENT
	Proposed subject: Branded drugs and their cost to the NHS (Mr Peter Bradley).     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 C	10.30 a.m. 4.30 p.m.	Room 9 (public) (public)
	Further to consider the Protection of Children Bill.
2	European Standing Committee A	10.30 a.m.	Room 10 (public)
	To consider European Union Document No. 6378/98 relating to the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically-Modified Organisms.
3	Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	10.30 a.m.	Room 12 (public)
	To consider the draft Limit in Relation to Licences to provide Radio Multiplex Services Order 1999.
4	Seventh Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	4.30 p.m.	Room 12 (public)
	To consider the draft Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 (Specified Organisations) Order 1999, and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996 (Amendment) Order 1999 (S.I., 1999, No. 525).
5	Eighth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	4.30 p.m.	Room 10 (public)
	To consider the Traffic Areas (Reorganisation) (Wales) Order 1999.
6	Ninth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	4.30 p.m.	Room 5 (public)
	To consider the draft National Minimum Wage (Offshore Employment) Order 1999.
7	Tenth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation	4.30 p.m.	Room 6 (public)
	To consider the draft Social Security (Incapacity, Earnings and Work Trials) Pilot Scheme Regulations 1999.
SELECT COMMITTEES
8	Catering	9.30 a.m.	Room 13 (private)
9	Education and Employment: Education Sub Committee	9.30 a.m. 10.00 a.m.	Room 8 (private) (public)
	Subject: The Green Paper `Teachers: meeting the challenge of change'.
	Witness: Rt Hon David Blunkett, MP, Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
10	Modernisation of the House of Commons	9.30 a.m.	Room 21 (private)
11	Defence	10.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m.	Room 15 (private) (public)
	Subject: Kosovo: Security of Supply: The Award of a Propellant Contract.
	Witnesses: Rt Hon George Robertson, MP, Secretary of State for Defence,ÜjySir Robert Walmsley, Chief of Defence Procurement, Ministry of Defence.
12	Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs	10.00 a.m. 10.15 a.m.	Room 5 (private) (public)
	Subject: UK Climate Change Programme.
	Witnesses: Energy Saving Trust and Association for the Conservation of Energy; Combined Heat and Power Association (at 10.55 a.m.); Mr David Crichton (at 11.25 a.m.); Mr Julian Morris (at 11.45 a.m.).
13	Food Standards	10.00 a.m.	Room 7 (private)
14	Scottish Affairs	10.00 a.m. 10.30 a.m.	Room 6 (private) (public)
	Subject: Tourism in Scotland.
	Witnesses: British Midlands Airways Ltd; Easyjet; Stagecoach; GNER; and Virgin Trains.
15	Social Security	10.30 a.m.	Room 19 (private)
16	Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs: Transport Sub-Committee	3.45 p.m. 4.00 p.m.	Room 8 (private) (public)
	Subject: Aviation Safety.
	Witnesses: The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, The British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA); The Royal Aeronautical Society (at 4.30 p.m.); Popular Flying Association, British Gliding Association and British Helicopter Advisory Board Ltd (BAHAB) (at 5.00 p.m.).
17	Northern Ireland Affairs	3.45 p.m. 4.15 p.m.	Room 16 (private) (public)
	Subject: Illegal Sale of Fuel Oils in Northern Ireland.
	Witnesses: HM Customs and Excise.
18	European Scrutiny	4.00 p.m.	Room 19 (private)
19	Selection	4.15 p.m.	Room 13 (private)
20	Public Accounts	4.30 p.m.	Room 15 (public)
	Subject: Home Office: Handgun Surrender and Compensation.
	Witness: Mr David Omand, Permanent Secretary, Home Office.
[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.]

MEMORANDUM

Wednesday 31st March

There will be no 1.5 hour (General) Debates, pursuant to Standing Order No. 10(3), under which matters to be considered before the forthcoming Adjournment will be considered. Applications for Ö hour Debates should be submitted in the normal way.

© Parliamentary copyright 1999	Prepared 24 March 1999