Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland |
*1 |
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): What progress is being made on issues of equality and human rights under the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84436) |
*2 |
Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes): What consultation she is having in Northern Ireland on the future of EU structural funding. |
| (84438) |
*3 |
Mr Don Touhig (Islwyn): What progress is being made towards devolution in Northern Ireland. |
| (84439) |
*4 |
Mr Bill Michie (Sheffield, Heeley): What progress has been made in implementing the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84440) |
*5 |
Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood): When she expects the Executive for Northern Ireland to assume its governmental responsibilities. |
| (84441) |
*6 |
Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen South): What progress is being made towards devolution in Northern Ireland. |
| (84442) |
*7 |
Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands): What progress has been made in the last year in the provision of early years education in Northern Ireland. |
| (84444) |
*8 |
Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): What assessment she has made of the prospects for achieving a local accommodation over the disputed parade at Drumcree this year. |
| (84446) |
*9 |
Angela Smith (Basildon): What the objectives are of the new government initiatives on restorative justice in Northern Ireland. |
| (84447) |
*10 |
Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): What the prospects are for achieving a local accommodation over the disputed parade at Drumcree this year. |
| (84448) |
*11 |
Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): If she will make a statement on progress on (a) the decommissioning of illegally held weapons and (b) the creation of a Northern Ireland Executive. |
| (84449) |
*12 |
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): If she will make a statement on the funding of language teaching in Northern Ireland. |
| (84450) |
*13 |
Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): What progress has been made in implementing the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84451) |
*14 |
Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North): What steps are being taken to increase co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84452) |
*15 |
Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): What steps are being taken to increase the co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84453) |
*16 |
Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): What progress is being made on the decommissioning of weapons. |
| (84454) |
*17 |
Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South): If she will make a statement on the impact of European structural funds on peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. |
| (84455) |
*18 |
Valerie Davey (Bristol West): If she will make a statement on developments in the Northern Ireland peace process. |
| (84456) |
*19 |
Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill): What progress has been made in implementing the Belfast Agreement. |
| (84458) |
*20 |
Kali Mountford (Colne Valley): How many companies are signed up to the New Deal in Northern Ireland. |
| (84459) |
*21 |
Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): What assessment she has made of when the Northern Ireland Executive will be formed. |
| (84460) |
*22 |
Mr Geraint Davies (Croydon Central): If she will make a statement on progress with redundancy arrangements for prison officers in Northern Ireland. |
| (84461) |
*23 |
Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): What estimate she has made of the types and number of weapons in the possession of terrorist organisations which have been responsible for acts of violence in Northern Ireland. |
| (84462) |
*24 |
Mr Michael Jabez Foster (Hastings and Rye): What the objectives are of the new government initiatives on restorative justice in Northern Ireland. |
| (84463) |
*25 |
Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): What assessment she has made of the role of an Irish-UK parliamentary body in implementing the Good Friday Agreement. |
| (84464) |
*26 |
Mr Desmond Browne (Kilmarnock and Loudoun): What are the prospects for achieving a local accommodation over the disputed parade at Drumcree this year. |
| (84465) |
Oral Questions to the Prime Minister |
*Q1 |
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84466) |
*Q2 |
Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen South): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84467) |
*Q3 |
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84468) |
*Q4 |
Mr Mike Gapes (Ilford South): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84469) |
*Q5 |
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84470) |
*Q6 |
Mr Martin Linton (Battersea): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84471) |
*Q7 |
Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84472) |
*Q8 |
Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84473) |
*Q9 |
Mrs Sylvia Heal (Halesowen and Rowley Regis): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84474) |
*Q10 |
Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday, 26th May. |
| (84475) |
*Q11 |
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84477) |
*Q12 |
Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84478) |
*Q13 |
Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84480) |
*Q14 |
Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84481) |
*Q15 |
Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84482) |
*Q16 |
Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84484) |
*Q17 |
Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26th May. |
| (84485) |
|
Main Business |
3 |
LINE OF ROUTE [Up to 2 hours] |
| Mrs Marion Roe
That this House approves the First Report from the Administration Committee on the Proposal to Re-open the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment (HC 394).
As an Amendment to Mrs Marion Roe's proposed Motion (Line of Route): |
| Mr Paul Tyler
Mr Peter L. Pike
Mr Nicholas Winterton
Mr Dale Campbell-Savours |
| Line 1 , leave out from `House' to end and add `declines to approve the First Report from the Administration Committee (HC394) on the proposal to re-open the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment until the full implications for entry into the Houses of Parliament at other times of the year, and other options for making these arrangements, are examined and costed.'.
The Speaker will put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the above Motion not later than two hours after the Motion has been entered upon (Order of 25th May). |
+ 4 |
TRAVEL BY MEMBERS TO NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS AND EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS [Until 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.
As Amendments to Margaret Beckett's proposed Motion (Travel by Members to National Parliaments and European Union Institutions):
Line 3, leave out `1st April' and insert `1st November'. (a)
Line 7 , after `state', insert `or NATO member state'. (b)
Line 7 , after `state', insert or `Commonwealth member state'. (c)
Line 7 , after `state', insert `or Gibraltar'. (d)
Line 14 , after `state', insert `or NATO member state'. (e)
Line 14 , after `state', insert `or Commonwealth member state'. (f)
Line 14 , after `state', insert `or Gibraltar'. (g)
Line 15 , leave out `twice' and insert `for a period not exceeding two days'. (j)
Line 15 , leave out `twice'. (h)
Line 16 , at end insert `(1A) a Member must submit in advance to the Fees Office a statement of the visit's purpose, location and duration and the persons or organisations to be met'. (k)
`(3) such travel shall be undertaken only when the House is adjourned.'. (i)
|
Debate may continue until 10.00 p.m. |
+ 5 |
OPPOSITION PARTIES (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) [Up to 1.5 hours] |
| Margaret Beckett
Paddy Tipping |
| That, in the opinion of this House, the provisions of this Resolution should have effect in relation to the giving of financial assistance to opposition parties in this House:
1.--(1) Financial assistance to assist an opposition party in carrying out its Parliamentary Business shall be available under this paragraph at any time on or after 1st April 1999 if at that time one of the following conditions is satisfied with respect to the party, that is to say
(a) there are at that time at least two Members of this House who are members of the party and who were elected at the previous General Election after contesting it as candidates for the party; or
(b) there is at that time one such Member who was so elected and the aggregate of the votes cast in favour of all the party's candidates at that Election was at least 150,000.
(2) The amount of financial assistance which may be given under this paragraph to any party in respect of the expenses incurred by it in any period shall be the aggregate of
(a) the first relevant amount for that period multiplied by the number of seats won by its candidates at the Election; and
(b) the second relevant amount for that period multiplied by one two-hundredth of the number of votes cast for its candidates at that Election (rounded down to the nearest whole number).
(3) For the period of one year beginning with 1st April 1999
(a) the first relevant amount shall be £10,732.69; and
(b) the second relevant amount shall be £21.44.
(4) For any subsequent period of one year beginning with 1st April
(a) the first relevant amount shall be that amount for the previous period but increased by the appropriate percentage for the subsequent period; and
(b) the second relevant amount shall be that amount for the previous period but increased by the appropriate percentage for the subsequent period.
(5) The appropriate percentage for any period is the percentage by which the retail prices index for the month of March immediately preceding that period has increased compared with the retail prices index for the previous March.
(6) The references in sub-paragraph (5) above to the retail prices index is a reference to the general index of retail prices (for all items) published by the Office for National Statistics, and if that index is not published for a month which is relevant for the purposes of this paragraph those references in that sub-paragraph shall be construed as references to any substituted index or index figure published by that Office.
(7) In consequence of this paragraph, the Resolution of 4th November 1993 shall not have effect with respect to any time after 31st March 1999.
(8) Financial assistance provided under the terms of this paragraph shall be paid in arrears, at intervals of not less than one month.
2.--(1) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 1 above, financial assistance towards travelling and associated expenses necessarily incurred by an opposition party's spokesmen in relation to the party's parliamentary business shall be available under this paragraph if at any time on or after 1st April 1999 one of the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 1 above is satisfied with respect to the party.
(2) The maximum amount of financial assistance which may be given under this paragraph to any party in respect of the expenses incurred in any period shall be such of the available amount for that period as may be allocated to the party in accordance with any apportionment under sub-paragaph (3) below.
(3) The available amount for any period shall be apportioned between each of the opposition parties in the same proportion as the amount of financial assistance which may be given to each of them under paragraph 1 above for that period or for any period forming part of that period.
(4) Any reference in this paragraph to the available amount for a period is a reference
(a) in the case of the period of one year beginning with 1st April 1999, to the sum of £117,896.00; and
(b) in the case of each subsequent period of one year beginning with 1st April, to the available amount for the previous period but increased by the appropriate percentage for the subsequent period.
(5) Sub-paragraphs (5) and (6) of paragraph 1 above shall apply for the purposes of this paragraph as they apply for the purposes of that paragraph.
3.--(1) Financial assistance shall be available for the costs necessary incurred in the running of the Leader of the Opposition's Office.
(2) For the period of one year beginning with 1st April 1999, the amount of financial assistance which may be given under this paragraph in respect of expenses incurred in that period shall be £500,000.
(3) For any subsequent period of one year beginning with 1st April the relevant amount shall be that amount for the previous period but increased by the appropriate percentage in accordance with paragraph 1(5).
(4) Sub-paragraph (5) and (6) of paragraph 1 above shall apply for the purposes of this paragraph as they apply for the purposes of that paragraph.
(5) Financial assistance provided under the terms of this paragraph shall be paid in arrears, at intervals of not less than one month.
4. Any claims for financial assistance towards travelling expenses under paragraph 2 are to be made to the Accounting Officer of the House; and a party claiming such assistance shall
(a) furnish that Officer with a statement of the facts on which the claim is based;
(b) certify to that Officer that the expenses which are claimed have been incurred exclusively in relation to the party's parliamentary business in accordance with this resolution.
5.--(1) As soon as practicable, but no later than nine months after 31st March each year, a party claiming financial assistance under this resolution, shall furnish the Accounting Officer of the House with the certificate of an independent professional auditor, in a form determined by the Accounting Officer, to the effect that all expenses in respect of which the party received financial assistance during the period ending with that day were incurred exclusively in relation to the party's parliamentary business under this resolution.
(2) If an audit certificate under sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph has not been furnished within the time specified no further financial assistance under this resolution shall be paid until such a certificate is so furnished.
6.--(1) in the case of any year in which there is a General Election
(a) the period ending immediately before the date of the Election and
(b) the period beginning with that date
shall be treated for the purposes of paragraph 1(1) and (2), 2(1) to (3) and 3 above as separate periods.
(2) In relation to any such separate period
(a) the first relevant amount and the second relevant amount for the period ending immediately before the date of the General Election shall be apportioned according to the number of days in that period as proportion of the total number of days in the year in question; and
(b) the available amount for the period beginning with the date of the General Election shall be a proportionate part of the available amount for the year in question.
(3) In relation to any such separate period ending immediately before the date of the Election, paragraph 5(1) above shall have effect as if the 31st March referred to were a reference to the day immediately before the date of the Election.
(4) In this paragraph "year" means a year beginning with 1st April.
(5) The cost of providing financial assistance shall be borne on the House of Commons: Members' salaries etc. Vote.
The Speaker will put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the above Motion not later than 1.5 hours after the Motion has been entered upon (Order of 25th May). |
+ 6 |
SELECT COMMITTEES (QUORUM) [Until any hour] |
| Margaret Beckett
Paddy Tipping |
| That, for the remainder of the present Session of Parliament, Standing Order No. 152 (Select Committees related to government departments) shall have effect subject to the following modification in line 48, at the end to add--
`(4A) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (4) above, where more than two committees or sub-committees appointed under this order meet concurrently in accordance with paragraph (4)(e) above, the quorum of each such committee or sub-committee shall be two.'. |
Debate may continue until any hour (Order of 25th May). |
+ 7 |
PARLIAMENTARY CONTRIBUTORY PENSION FUND [Up to 1.5 hours] |
| Mr Keith Bradley
That, in pursuance of section 1(2) of the Parliamentary and other Pensions Act 1987, Mr Eric Martlew be appointed a Managing Trustee of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund in the room of Paddy Tipping. The Speaker will put the Question not later than 1.5 hours after proceedings begin (Standing Order No. 16).
|
+ 8 |
DRAFT LOCAL GOVERNMENT (FUNCTIONS AND STANDARDS) BILL [No debate after 10.00 p.m.] |
| Margaret Beckett
Hilary Armstrong |
| That a Select Committee of eight Members be appointed to join with a committee to be appointed by the Lords to consider the draft Local Government (Functions and Standards) Bill published in the Command Paper entitled Local Leadership, Local Choice (Cm. 4298);
That three be the quorum of the Committee;
That the Committee shall have power--
(i) to send for persons, papers and records;
(ii) to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;
(iii) to report from time to time;
(iv) to appoint specialist advisers;
(v) to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom; and
(vi) to communicate to any Select Committee appointed by either House its evidence and any documents of common interest;
That the Committee shall report by 31st July 1999;
That Mr Peter L. Pike, Mr Graham Stringer, Ms Margaret Moran, Dr Alan Whitehead, Mr Robin Corbett, Sir Paul Beresford, Mr James Gray and Mr Paul Burstow be members of the Committee. |
If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 10.00 p.m. |
COMMITTEE MEETINGS |
SELECT COMMITTEES |
1 |
Education and Employment: Education Sub Committee |
9.30 a.m. |
Room 18 (private) |
2 |
Defence |
10.00 a.m.
10.30 a.m. |
Room 16 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Defence Medical Services. |
| Witness: Chief Executive, Defence Secondary Core Agency. |
3 |
Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs |
10.00 a.m.
10.15 a.m. |
Room 15 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: UK Climate Change Programme |
| Witnesses: Officials from the Department of Trade and Industry; Officials from HM Treasury (at 11.15 a.m.) |
4 |
Social Security |
10.30 a.m.
10.45 a.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Contributory Principle. |
| Witnesses: Professor Pete Alcock, University of Birmingham; Dr Sheila Lawlor, Politeia. |
5 |
Education and Employment: Employment Sub-Committee |
3.45 p.m. |
Room 18 (private) |
6 |
Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs: Transport Sub-Committee |
3.45 p.m.
4.00 p.m. |
Room 15 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: Tendered Bus Services. |
| Witnesses: Office of Fair Trading; Glenda Jackson, CBE, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and officials from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (at 4.40 p.m.). |
7 |
Northern Ireland |
3.45 p.m. |
Room 6 (private) |
8 |
Science and Technology |
3.45 p.m.
4.15 p.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA). |
| Witnesses: The Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, CBE, Chairman, Mr Jeremy Newton, Chief Executive, and Dr Bridget Ogilvie, DBE, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA). |
9 |
Broadcasting |
4.00 p.m. |
Room 7 (private) |
10 |
European Scrutiny |
4.00 p.m. |
Room 19 (private) |
11 |
Selection |
4.15 p.m. |
Room 13 (private) |
12 |
Defence |
4.30 p.m. |
Room 16 (private) |
[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.] |
|
Written Questions tabled on Tuesday 25th May for answer today++ |
1 | Mr Bill Rammell (Harlow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the progress being made by the Armed Forces to implement the partnership agreement between his Department and the Commission for Racial Equality. |
| (85666) |
2 | Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what key targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Logistic Information Systems Agency for the financial year 1999-2000. |
| (85667) |
3 | Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if there have been further developments on the Tax Law Rewrite project. |
| (85668) |
4 | Sir George Young (North West Hampshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to issue the consultation paper on the proposed rules for London minicab operators in accordance with the implementation of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. |
| (85669) |
5 | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to provide financial support to the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust to develop a recovery plan; and if he will make a statement. |
| (85726) |
6 | Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the fleet of 44 new trains to be introduced into service by LTS Rail Ltd comply with the provisions of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998; and if he will make a statement. |
| (85727) |
7 | Mr Colin Burgon (Elmet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to publish the Government's response to the fourth report of session 1998-99 of the Environment Transport and Regional Affairs Select Committee on the Countryside Agency (HC 6). |
| (85728) |
8 | Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what progress is being made in promoting the involvement of Government departments in the Foresight Programme. |
| (85729) |
9 | Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Prime Minister, what arrangements he has made for Ministerial consideration of European trade policy issues. |
| (85730) |
10 | Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress has been made on the review of the funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence and development of high level targets for flood and coastal defence operating authorities. |
| (85731) |
11 | Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the funding agreements which his Department has concluded with its sponsored bodies following his Department's comprehensive spending review. |
| (85819) |
12 | Mr Tony McNulty (Harrow East): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans he has to review the way in which ECGD assesses risk. |
| (85820) |
13 | Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the future plans for the Compensation Agency will be published; and if she will make a statement. |
| (85867) |
|