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Mr. Simon Hughes: Unusually, the right hon. Gentleman has missed a trick because the Home Secretary was in the Chamber and I had hoped that he would catch him. Over the past 12 hours, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who are in charge of the Bill, have been here. Had the right hon. Gentleman been really quick he could have asked the Home Secretary whether he at least could explain why we are considering the Bill so urgently. Sadly, he may have to wait until the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland reappears to ask that question.

The Second Deputy Chairman: Order. I should be grateful if the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) did not stray down that route and devoted his attention to the amendment.

Mr. Forth: I have not left the Chamber for 16 hours so the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), who understands these matters, will perhaps forgive me if I miss the occasional opportunity. I am still doing my best and if he looks at the amendment paper he will find that there are many exciting opportunities still to come.

25 Jan 2000 : Column 404

I give you, Mr. Lord, a little advance notice. I hope that you agree that a brief debate on clause 3 stand part is appropriate, for example, because we have not yet touched on that subject. There is something for us all to look forward to and there are many more goodies to come. The highlight of the debate--the bonanza--will of course be Third Reading, when we shall all have an opportunity to review where we have arrived at--in order and with your guidance. We could perhaps exchange ideas about how the Bill could be dealt with, even at that late stage, but I am anticipating myself and the proceedings.

Mr. William Ross: My right hon. Friend talks about Third Reading, but we should have a detailed look at my new clauses on salaries and allowances before that. We could not possibly allow them to pass us by.

The Second Deputy Chairman: Order. First, we should deal with the amendment.

Mr. Forth: Certainly, but I make a plea. The Committee should give the Government yet another chance to improve the Bill by supporting the amendment. I hope that it will do so, but, as my hon. Friend the Member for East Londonderry (Mr. Ross) said, this will not be the last chance to make improvements.

Question put, That the amendment be made:--

The Committee divided: Ayes 13, Noes 234.

Division No. 46 [9.28 am

AYES

Beggs, Roy
Chope, Christopher
Forsythe, Clifford
Gale, Roger
Hunter, Andrew
Lewis, Dr Julian (New Forest E)
Mawhinney, Rt Hon Sir Brian
Nicholls, Patrick
Ross, William (E Lond'y)
Spicer, Sir Michael
Swayne, Desmond
Thompson, William
Wardle, Charles

Tellers for the Ayes:

Mr. Eric Forth and
Mr. David Maclean.

NOES

Adams, Mrs Irene (Paisley N)
Ainsworth, Robert (Cov'try NE)
Alexander, Douglas
Allan, Richard
Allen, Graham
Anderson, Donald (Swansea E)
Ashton, Joe
Atkins, Charlotte
Barnes, Harry
Battle, John
Beckett, Rt Hon Mrs Margaret
Benn, Hilary (Leeds C)
Bennett, Andrew F
Benton, Joe
Bermingham, Gerald
Berry, Roger
Best, Harold
Betts, Clive
Blears, Ms Hazel
Blizzard, Bob
Borrow, David
Bradley, Keith (Withington)
Bradley, Peter (The Wrekin)
Bradshaw, Ben
Breed, Colin
Brown, Russell (Dumfries)
Browne, Desmond
Burden, Richard
Burgon, Colin
Caborn, Rt Hon Richard
Campbell, Alan (Tynemouth)
Campbell, Ronnie (Blyth V)
Canavan, Dennis
Caplin, Ivor
Cawsey, Ian
Chapman, Ben (Wirral S)
Chaytor, David
Clapham, Michael
Clark, Dr Lynda
(Edinburgh Pentlands)
Clarke, Eric (Midlothian)
Clarke, Rt Hon Tom (Coatbridge)
Clarke, Tony (Northampton S)
Clelland, David
Coaker, Vernon
Cohen, Harry
Coleman, Iain
Colman, Tony
Connarty, Michael
Cooper, Yvette
Corbyn, Jeremy
Corston, Jean
Cousins, Jim
Cranston, Ross
Crausby, David
Cryer, John (Hornchurch)
Cummings, John
Curtis-Thomas, Mrs Claire
Dalyell, Tam
Darling, Rt Hon Alistair
Davey, Valerie (Bristol W)
Davidson, Ian
Dawson, Hilton
Dean, Mrs Janet
Denham, John
Dismore, Andrew
Dobbin, Jim
Donohoe, Brian H
Doran, Frank
Dowd, Jim
Efford, Clive
Ellman, Mrs Louise
Ennis, Jeff
Fisher, Mark
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flint, Caroline
Foster, Rt Hon Derek
Foster, Michael Jabez (Hastings)
Foster, Michael J (Worcester)
Gapes, Mike
Gardiner, Barry
Gerrard, Neil
Gibson, Dr Ian
Gilroy, Mrs Linda
Goggins, Paul
Golding, Mrs Llin
Griffiths, Jane (Reading E)
Griffiths, Nigel (Edinburgh S)
Griffiths, Win (Bridgend)
Grocott, Bruce
Grogan, John
Hall, Patrick (Bedford)
Hamilton, Fabian (Leeds NE)
Heal, Mrs Sylvia
Healey, John
Henderson, Ivan (Harwich)
Hepburn, Stephen
Heppell, John
Hood, Jimmy
Hope, Phil
Hopkins, Kelvin
Howarth, George (Knowsley N)
Howells, Dr Kim
Hoyle, Lindsay
Hughes, Ms Beverley (Stretford)
Hughes, Simon (Southwark N)
Hutton, John
Iddon, Dr Brian
Illsley, Eric
Ingram, Rt Hon Adam
Jackson, Helen (Hillsborough)
Jamieson, David
Jenkins, Brian
Jones, Rt Hon Barry (Alyn)
Jones, Mrs Fiona (Newark)
Jones, Helen (Warrington N)
Jones, Martyn (Clwyd S)
Keeble, Ms Sally
Keen, Alan (Feltham & Heston)
Keetch, Paul
Kemp, Fraser
Kidney, David
Kumar, Dr Ashok
Laxton, Bob
Lepper, David
Leslie, Christopher
Lewis, Terry (Worsley)
Linton, Martin
Lock, David
Love, Andrew
McAvoy, Thomas
McCabe, Steve
McCartney, Rt Hon Ian
(Makerfield)
Macdonald, Calum
McDonnell, John
McFall, John
McGuire, Mrs Anne
McIsaac, Shona
Mackinlay, Andrew
McNulty, Tony
Mactaggart, Fiona
McWalter, Tony
Mallaber, Judy
Marsden, Gordon (Blackpool S)
Marsden, Paul (Shrewsbury)
Marshall, David (Shettleston)
Marshall-Andrews, Robert
Martlew, Eric
Maxton, John
Meale, Alan
Merron, Gillian
Miller, Andrew
Moffatt, Laura
Moonie, Dr Lewis
Moran, Ms Margaret
Morley, Elliot
Mountford, Kali
Mowlam, Rt Hon Marjorie
Mudie, George
Murphy, Denis (Wansbeck)
Murphy, Jim (Eastwood)
O'Brien, Bill (Normanton)
O'Brien, Mike (N Warks)
Olner, Bill
Osborne, Ms Sandra
Palmer, Dr Nick
Pearson, Ian
Perham, Ms Linda
Pickthall, Colin
Pike, Peter L
Plaskitt, James
Pollard, Kerry
Pope, Greg
Pound, Stephen
Prentice, Gordon (Pendle)
Primarolo, Dawn
Prosser, Gwyn
Purchase, Ken
Quinn, Lawrie
Rammell, Bill
Rooker, Rt Hon Jeff
Rooney, Terry
Ross, Ernie (Dundee W)
Ruddock, Joan
Russell, Bob (Colchester)
Sanders, Adrian
Savidge, Malcolm
Sawford, Phil
Shaw, Jonathan
Sheerman, Barry
Sheldon, Rt Hon Robert
Simpson, Alan (Nottingham S)
Singh, Marsha
Skinner, Dennis
Smith, Angela (Basildon)
Smith, Jacqui (Redditch)
Smith, Llew (Blaenau Gwent)
Soley, Clive
Spellar, John
Squire, Ms Rachel
Starkey, Dr Phyllis
Steinberg, Gerry
Stevenson, George
Stewart, David (Inverness E)
Stinchcombe, Paul
Straw, Rt Hon Jack
Stringer, Graham
Sutcliffe, Gerry
Taylor, Ms Dari (Stockton S)
Taylor, David (NW Leics)
Temple-Morris, Peter
Tipping, Paddy
Todd, Mark
Touhig, Don
Trickett, Jon
Turner, Dennis (Wolverh'ton SE)
Turner, Dr George (NW Norfolk)
Turner, Neil (Wigan)
Twigg, Derek (Halton)
Tyler, Paul
Tynan, Bill
Walley, Ms Joan
Ward, Ms Claire
Wareing, Robert N
Watts, David
Whitehead, Dr Alan
Wicks, Malcolm
Willis, Phil
Wilson, Brian
Winnick, David
Winterton, Ms Rosie (Doncaster C)
Wood, Mike
Woolas, Phil
Worthington, Tony
Wright, Anthony D (Gt Yarmouth)

Tellers for the Noes:

Mr. Mike Hall and
Mr. Kevin Hughes.

Question accordingly negatived. nil

25 Jan 2000 : Column 406

The Chairman, being of the opinion that the principle of the clause and any matters arising thereon had been adequately discussed in the course of debate on the amendments proposed thereto, forthwith put the Question, pursuant to Standing Order No. 68, That the clause stand part of the Bill:--

The Committee proceeded to a Division.

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