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House of Commons

Session 2008 - 09 Publications on the internet Summary Agendas and Orders of Business

Order of Business Monday 8 December 2008 Here you can browse the House of Commons Order of Business for Monday 8 December 2008.

+ indicates Government business. Timings are indicative only. House of Commons Order of Business   At 2.30 pm   Urgent Questions (if any)     Ministerial Statements (if any) Main Business †  indicates Government Business Note: Provision has been made for a Business Motion to be moved at 10.00 pm (Standing Order No. 15). † 1 BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [Until 10.00 pm] Ms Harriet Harman        That, at this day’s sitting, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of Ms Harriet Harman relating to the Speaker’s Committee on the Search of Offices on the Parliamentary Estate not later than three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion for this Order; such Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved; proceedings may continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.

As Amendments to Ms Harriet Harman’s proposed Motion (Business of the House):

Mr Douglas Hogg Mr David Heath

(a)

Line 4, leave out ‘three’ and insert ‘six’.

Mr Douglas Hogg Mr David Heath

(b)

Line 4, leave out ‘the Motion for this Order’ and insert ‘that Motion’.

Debate may continue until 10.00 pm.

† 2 SPEAKER’S COMMITTEE ON THE SEARCH OF OFFICES ON THE PARLIAMENTARY ESTATE

Ms Harriet Harman

That, following the search of a Member’s office in the Parliamentary Estate by the police and the seizure of material therein, a committee be appointed to review the internal processes of the House administration for granting permission for such action, and to make recommendations for the future;

That the committee must not in any way prejudice any police inquiry or potential criminal proceedings and that therefore it will be adjourned immediately after choosing a chairman until the completion of any relevant inquiry or proceedings that may follow;

That the committee have power to send for persons, papers and records; to report from time to time; to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; and

That the committee consist of seven members appointed by the Speaker reflecting the composition of the House.

(Amendments received up to 12.30 pm on Monday 8 December)

Mr William Cash Mr Richard Shepherd Mr Bernard Jenkin Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger Mr Mark Field Mr Peter Bone

Mr Charles Walker	Mr Richard Bacon	Mr Philip Hollobone
Mr Douglas Carswell	Mr David Amess	Adam Price
Philip Davies

Line 1, leave out from ‘That’ to end and add ‘this House declares that in defence of the rights of the citizens of the United Kingdom to the protection of the confidentiality of such of their correspondence, e-mails, and other information, as are or have been communicated by any means to their Member of Parliament and in particular to the Member of Parliament for Ashford; and entrusted to them by their constituents and or others or may in future be entrusted to them together with their right to retain papers, data, information and equipment for the purpose or otherwise held by them in the national interest and in accordance with the law, custom, privilege and sovereignty of the Parliament of the United Kingdom; and in accordance with and taking such precedents into account including those relating to the criminal law; and with the consent of the House which is the bedrock of our democracy on behalf of its citizens; and that therefore this House hereby establishes immediately an ad hoc select committee chaired by a Member of the Opposition consisting of seven members but without a Government majority, with all the powers and functions otherwise accorded to the Committee on Standards and Privileges including those for the calling for papers and witnesses (but also to take evidence on oath) to investigate and enquire into all the circumstances which led to the entry of the police into this House without a warrant and the searching of the office of the Member of Parliament for Ashford and the seizure of material and information therefrom and all that followed in every respect including investigation and enquiring into the conduct of all concerned without exception and to report to the House with all expedition and not later than 30 January 2009.’.

Mr Douglas Hogg Mr David Heath

Line 2,  after ‘appointed’, insert ‘to report as soon as is practicable, and in any event not later than 30 January 2009, on the circumstances that surround that search and seizure, subsequently’.

Sir Menzies Campbell Andrew Mackinlay Mr David Davis Kate Hoey Sir Alan Beith Mr Kenneth Clarke

Mr Michael Howard

Mr Douglas Hogg

Mr Richard Shepherd

Line 3,  leave out from ‘action’, to end and add ‘and to investigate all the circumstances, including Ministerial, official and police actions, which led to the search, and to review the applicable rules and procedures of the House and to make recommendations;

That the Committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records; to report from time to time; to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;

That the Committee should be bound in its proceedings by the existing resolution of the House on matters of sub judice; and

That the Committee consist of seven members appointed by the Speaker.’.

Mr Douglas Hogg Mr David Heath

Line 6,  leave out from ‘therefore’ to end of line 8 and insert ‘the committee shall omit from the published report such material as Mr Speaker shall determine has that effect, but the committee shall indicate the fact and, as Mr Speaker may authorise, the nature and extent of that omission;’.

Mr Douglas Hogg Mr David Heath

Line 11,  leave out from ‘Speaker’ to end and add ‘of whom at least four shall be drawn from opposition parties.’.

†

3

QUEEN’S SPEECH (MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS): Adjourned Debate on Question [3 December].

Motion made, and Question proposed, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty as follows:

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.—(Mr Tom Clarke.)

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† BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [No debate]

The Prime Minister

That at this day’s sitting, proceedings on the Queen’s Speech (Motion for an Address) may be proceeded with, though opposed, until 11 o’clock.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 15).

---

† 4 ESTIMATES [No debate]

Ms Harriet Harman

That this House agrees with the Report [3 December] of the Liaison Committee.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 145).