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Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham): Will the Minister give way?
Mr. Hill: It is highly premature, but how can I resist the hon. Gentleman?
Mr. Bercow: I am always enticed by the Minister's words, as he should know by now. I simply wanted to ask him whether the regulations that he is helpfully describing will be subject to the negative or the affirmative procedure.
Mr. Hill: It often seems as if the hon. Gentleman is positively obsessed by me. I am delighted to tell him that the regulations will be subject to the negative procedure.
Both the amendments to which the resolution relates were welcomed by all parties in another place, and I commend them to the House.
4.2 pm
Mr. Robert Syms (Poole): I do not believe that this matter should detain us too long because there is broad agreement on it. Clearly, utility organisations cause disruption to traffic, and the motoring public will believe that giving them an incentive to get on with the work is good.
There is a slight difference between setting a small charge to incentivise and another stealth tax. Perhaps the Minister could reassure us about the levels of charging and confirm that the utilities will not ultimately have to turn to the hard-pressed public and add substantial amounts to bills for water and electricity. As the matter must be tackled through statutory instrument, perhaps the Minister can tell us the likely timetable for its implementation.
4.3 pm
Mr. Hill: On the hon. Gentleman's last point, we have always said that we regard the powers as residual. Our first move will be to introduce provisions under section 74 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to set out penalties for overstaying in street works.
On the question about charges, it is too early to say. If we decide to proceed with lane rental, we shall want to discuss an appropriate level with highway authorities and undertakers. On the usual question about stealth taxes, I point out that each utility is subject to a regulator to prevent abuse by any monopoly power.
Let me make a minor correction: lest I be accused of misleading the House, the regulations will be subject to the affirmative procedure.
Transport Bill (Supplemental Programme)
4.4 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Mr. Keith Hill): I beg to move,
- That the Order of the House [9th May] be supplemented as follows:--
Lords Amendments
1.--(1) Proceedings on Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Bill shall be completed at today's sitting.
(2) If not previously concluded, the proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion at midnight.
(3) The Lords Amendments shall be considered in the following order--
Nos. 27 to 29, 31, 1 to 26, 30 and 32 to 235.
(4) Each part of the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the time specified in relation to that part of the proceedings in this Table.
Proceedings Time for conclusion of proceedings
Lords Amendments Nos. 27 to 29. Three and a half hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion in the name of Mr Stephen Timms relating to the Transport Bill [Ways and Means] (No. 3).
Lords Amendment No. 31. Four and a half hours after the commencement of proceedings on that Motion.
Remaining Lords Amendments. Six and a quarter hours after the commencement of proceedings on that Motion.
2.--(1) This paragraph applies for the purpose of bringing proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 1.
(2) The Speaker shall first put forthwith any question which has been proposed from the chair and not yet decided.
(3) If that question is for the amendment of a Lords Amendment, the Speaker shall then put forthwith--
(a) a single question on any further amendments of the Lords Amendment moved by a Minister of the Crown, and
(b) the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown that this House agrees or disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment or (as the case may be) in their Amendment as amended.
(4) The Speaker shall put forthwith--
(a) a single question on any amendment moved by a Minister of the Crown to a Lords Amendment, and
(b) the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown that this House agrees or disagrees with the Lords in the Amendment or (as the case may be) in their Amendment as amended.
(5) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown that this House disagrees with the Lords in a Lords Amendment.
(6) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the question that this House agrees with the Lords in all the remaining Lords Amendments.
(7) As soon as the House has--
(a) agreed or disagreed with the Lords in any of their Amendments, or
(b) disposed of an Amendment relevant to a Lords Amendment which has been disagreed to,
the Speaker shall put forthwith a single question on any amendments moved by a Minister of the Crown relevant to the Lords Amendment.
Subsequent stages
3.--(1) The Speaker shall put forthwith the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown for the consideration forthwith of any further message from the Lords on the Bill.
(2) The proceedings on any further message from the Lords shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.
4.--(1) This paragraph applies for the purpose of bringing proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 3.
(2) The Speaker shall first put forthwith any question which has been proposed from the chair and not yet decided.
(3) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown which is related to the question already proposed from the chair.
(4) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown on or relevant to any of the remaining items in the Lords message.
(5) The Speaker shall then put forthwith the question that this House agrees with the Lords in all the remaining Lords proposals.
Reasons Committee
5. The Speaker shall put forthwith the question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown for the appointment, nomination and quorum of a Committee to draw up Reasons and the appointment of its chairman.
6.--(1) The Committee shall report before the conclusion of the sitting at which it is appointed.
(2) Proceedings in the Committee shall, if not previously brought to a conclusion, be brought to a conclusion 30 minutes after their commencement.
(3) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with sub-paragraph (2), the chairman shall--
(a) first put forthwith any question which has been proposed from the chair and not yet decided, and
(b) then put forthwith successively questions on motions which may be made by a Minister of the Crown for assigning a Reason for disagreeing with the Lords in any of their Amendments.
(4) The proceedings of the Committee shall be reported without any further questions being put.
Miscellaneous
7. The following paragraphs apply to--
(a) proceedings on Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Bill.
(b) proceedings on any further message from the Lords on the Bill, and
(c) proceedings on the appointment, nomination and quorum of a Committee to draw up Reasons (and the appointment of its chairman) and the report of the Committee.
8. Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to the proceedings.
9. The proceedings shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.
10.--(1) If on a day on which any of the proceedings take place a motion for the adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 24 (emergency debates) would stand over to seven o'clock--
(a) that motion stands over until the conclusion of any of the proceedings which are to be brought to a conclusion at or before that time, and
(b) the bringing to a conclusion of any of the proceedings which are to be brought to a conclusion after that time is postponed for a period of time equal to the duration of the proceedings on that motion.
(2) If a motion for the adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 24 stands over from an earlier day to such a day, the bringing to a conclusion of any of the proceedings on that day is postponed for a period of time equal to the duration of the proceedings on that motion.
11. No dilatory motion with respect to, or in the course of, the proceedings shall be made except by a Minister of the Crown; and the question on any such motion made by a Minister of the Crown shall be put forthwith.
12. If the House is adjourned, or the sitting is suspended, before the expiry of the period at the end of which any of the proceedings are to be brought to a conclusion, no notice is required of a motion made at the next sitting by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this order.
However, time is also allocated to debate the other amendments that were introduced in the other place and there will be an opportunity to consider them, too. Although the vast bulk of the amendments are, as usual, of a technical, minor and consequential nature, the most important deal with, for example, the extension of concessionary fares to the disabled, bus lane enforcement, street works and quiet lanes, and relate to latter parts of the Bill. They were either introduced by the Opposition and accepted by the Government or are the subject of an all-party agreement.
The overall total of six and a quarter hours to consider the amendments and the Ways and Means resolution is appropriate and reasonable and will allow proper consideration by the House.
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