Business of the House of Commons
21 - 25 October 2002

Monday 21 October

The House sat at 2.30 pm

Oral Questions - Work and Pensions

Statement - Bali - Jack Straw

Legislation - Tobacco, Advertising and Promotion Bill [HL] - Report stage, new clause disagreed to on Division, Third reading, agreed to

Adjournment - David Wright on the impact of crime of urban design

The House rose at 8.34pm

Tuesday 22 October

The House sat in Westminster Hall between 9.30 am and 2.00 pm

09:30-11:00 Mrs Gillian Shephard on farming in Norfolk

11:00-12:30 Ian Stewart on safety on buses

12:30-13:00 Mr Peter Duncan on the closure of West Freugh airfield and bombing range

13:00-13:30 Kevin Brennan on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

13:30-14:00 Mr Alistair Carmichael on events surrounding the proposed closure of the Stromness lighthouse depot

The House sat at 2.30 pm

Oral Questions - Scotland; Advocate General; Lord Chancellor's Department; President of the Council and House of Commons Commission

Statement - Firefighter's Dispute - Mr John Prescott

Ten Minute Rule Bill - National Nutrition - Ms Oona King

Debate - Opposition Day -(i) motion by Mr Don Foster noting the current crisis in affordable housing; regretting the failure of the government to take earlier action; advocating that urgent action is needed to link local and regional housing and planning policies such as bringing back to use empty properties and increasing the density of housing developments (negatived on division)

Amendment by Mrs Barbara Roche welcoming the additional funding for housing announced in Spending Review 2002 and supporting the action being taken to better link local and regional planning and housing policies. (Agreed to)

(ii) Motion by Dr Vincent Cable noting with concern the government's use of public funds to prevent the bankruptcy of British energy; noted that several competitor companies are also petitioning the government for assistance; believes that nuclear power is uneconomic and generates long-term environmental costs; and believes it would be wrong to bail out British energy; also calls on the Government to respond to the PIU Energy Review and to facilitate the introduction of a variety of new renewable energy technologies. (negatived on division).

Amendment by Mr Brian Wilson welcoming the PIU Review of energy policy and the government commitment to publishing an energy white paper in the new year; welcomes the work the government has done to promote sustainable energy use. (Agreed to)

Adjournment - Mr Richard Spring on compensation for hepatitis C infections via infected blood

The House rose at 10.57pm

Wednesday 23 October

The House sat in Westminster Hall between 9.30 am and 2.00 pm

09:30-11:00 Mr Win Griffiths on Indonesia's role in combating international terrorism

11:00-12:30 Mrs Patsy Calton on the West Coast Main Line

12:30-13:00 Mr Colin Challen on the protection of the greenbelt in Morley and Rothwell

13:00-13:30 Sir John Stanley on Horticultural Research International, East Malling

13:30-14:00 Mr Alan Hurst on provision of care and nursing homes in Braintree

The House sat at 2.30pm

Oral Questions - Northern Ireland; Prime Minister

Ten Minute Rule Bill - Waste Management Licences - Siobhain McDonagh

Debate - Opposition Day (19th day) - Motion in the name of the Opposition, (i) Government mismanagement of the National Lottery. An opposition day motion by Mr John Whittingdale noting that the National Lottery has raised over £12 billion for good causes; believes that the principle that Lottery money should not be used to fund projects that are the responsibilities of the government and further notes that grants made to organisations have destroyed public trust in the Lottery; and calls upon the government to return the Lottery to its original purpose of raising money to support deserving causes (negatived on division).

An amendment by Secretary Tessa Jowell welcomed the fact that the Lottery has generated over £12 billion and has also created funds for projects to mark the new millennium; also notes that the typical constituency has received millions of pounds of Lottery funds and believes that Lottery players can have full confidence in the Lottery (agreed to).

Legislation - Mersey Tunnel Bill - Motion to carry over agreed to on division

Adjournment - Mr Chris Pond on the conduct of the Westminster coroner

The House rose at 10.45 pm

Thursday 24 October

The House sat at 11 .30am

Oral Questions - Education and Skills; Solicitor General

Business of the House - Mr Robin Cook

Debate - Continuation of the debate on Local Government Finance Formulas Grant Distribution on a motion for the adjournment of the House

Debate - Control of asbestos in the work place on a motion for the adjournment of the House

Adjournment - Mr Alan Reid on the detention of Dr Lesley McCulloch in Indonesia

The House also sat in Westminster Hall between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm

Westminster Hall: Adjournment Debate - UN Charter on the Rights of the Child

The House rose at 7.29pm

Friday 25 October

The House did not sit