Commons Journal 265

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[No. 3 ]

Monday 8 December 2008

The house met at 2.30 pm.

PRAYERS.

1 Business of the House

Motion made and Question proposed, 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._(Chris Bryant.)

Amendment (a) moved, in line 4, to leave out `three' and insert `six'._(Mr Douglas Hogg.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 1.

Ayes: 234 (Tellers: Mr Douglas Hogg, Mr Colin Breed).

Noes: 308 (Tellers: Helen Jones, Chris Mole).

Question accordingly negatived.

Main Question put.

Question agreed to.

2 Speaker's Committee on the search of offices on the Parliamentary Estate

Motion made and Question proposed, 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; and 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._(Ms Harriet Harman.)

Three hours after the start of proceedings on the Business of the House Motion, the Speaker put the Questions (Order, today).

Amendment (e) moved, in line 4, to leave out from `action' to the end of the Question and insert `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;

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That the Committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records; to report from time to time; and 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.'._(Sir Menzies Campbell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 2.

Ayes: 281 (Tellers: Richard Younger-Ross, Mr James Gray).

Noes: 285 (Tellers: Mr Dave Watts, Helen Goodman).

Question accordingly negatived.

Main Question put.

The House divided.

Division No. 3.

Ayes: 293 (Tellers: Mr Dave Watts, Helen Goodman).

Noes: 270 (Tellers: Mr John Baron, Mr Adrian Sanders).

Question accordingly agreed to.

3 Queen's Speech (Motion for an Address) (third day)

Debate resumed (Order, Thursday 4 December).

Question again 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.

The debate was interrupted (Standing Order No. 15).

4 Business of the House

Ordered, That at this day's sitting, proceedings on the Queen's Speech (Motion for an Address) may be proceeded with, though opposed, until 11.00 pm._(Ian Lucas.)

5 Queen's Speech (Motion for an Address) (third day)

The House resumed the debate.

At 11.00 pm the debate stood adjourned.

Debate to be resumed tomorrow.

6 Estimates

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 145), That this House agrees with the Report (3 December) of the Liaison Committee._(Ms Barbara Keeley.)

Question agreed to.

7 Public Petition

A Public Petition from residents of Sunderland relating to health care (Sunderland) was presented and read by Bill Etherington.

8 Adjournment

Subject: Consultations on Post Office closures (Dr Richard Taylor).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn._(Mr Thomas McAvoy.)

[Adjourned at 11.30 pm until tomorrow. ]

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Other proceedings

General Committees: Appointments

The Speaker appoints the Chairman of General Committees and allocates Statutory Instruments to Delegated Legislation Committees.

The Committee of Selection nominates Members to serve on General Committees (and certain Members to serve on Grand Committees).

9 European Committee B in respect of European Union Documents No. 12244/08, No. 12177/08 and Addendum and No. 12182/08 and Addendum relating to Management of EU funds in Bulgaria and Romanian and Bulgarian EU Accession

Members: Mr David Anderson, Mr Adrian Bailey, Mr Crispin Blunt, Mr Michael Clapham, Mr Edward Davey, Mr Mark Francois, Helen Goodman, Mr David Heathcoat-Amory, Mr John Horam, Mr Ken Purchase, Bill Rammell, Lindsay Roy and Jo Swinson.

Westminster Hall

10 Westminster Hall (Select committee reports)

The Speaker has approved 26 February, 19 March, 23 April, 14 May, 18 June and 9 July 2009 as days when the business to be taken in Westminster Hall shall be debates on select committee reports chosen by the Liaison Committee (Standing Order No. 10).

Select Committees: Formal Minutes

11 Select committees (publication of Formal Minutes)

Ordered, That, in this Session of Parliament, the Formal Minutes of the following select committees, together with the Formal Minutes of any sub-committees which they may appoint, may be published from time to time:

Committees appointed under Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments),

Administration Committee,

Environmental Audit Committee,

European Scrutiny Committee,

Finance and Services Committee,

Liaison Committee,

Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons,

Procedure Committee,

Committee of Public Accounts,

Select Committee on Public Administration,

Regional select committees appointed under the temporary Standing Order of 12 November 2008,

Regulatory Reform Committee,

Select Committee on Statutory Instruments,

Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments,

Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Reports from Select Committees

12 Children, Schools and Families Committee

(1) Public Expenditure: First Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 46);

(2) The Work of the Committee in 2007^08: Second Report; to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 47)

(Mr Barry Sheerman).

13 Communities and Local Government Committee

(1) The Balance of Power: Central and Local Government: Evidence, to be printed (HC 33-i);

(2) Housing and the Credit Crunch: Written evidence, to be published;

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(3) Winter Supplementary Estimate 2008^09: Written evidence, to be published

(Dr Phyllis Starkey).

14 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Energy efficiency and fuel poverty: Evidence taken before the Sub-Committee, to be printed (HC 37-i) (Mr Michael Jack).

15 Liaison Committee

HM Treasury_The Alignment Project: Written evidence, to be published (Mr Alan Williams).

16 Public Accounts (Committee of)

Mathematics performance in primary schools: Getting the best results: Evidence, to be printed (HC 44-i) (Mr Edward Leigh).

APPENDIX

Papers presented and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 5 December 2008 under Standing Order No. 159:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1 Betting, Gaming and Lotteries

Gambling (Operating Licence and Single-Machine Permit Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3105), dated 1 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Andy Burnham).

Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 8 December 2008:

Draft Legislative Reform Orders:

2 Licenses and Licensing

(1) Draft Legislative Reform (Minor Variations to Premises Licenses and Club Premises Certificates) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Impact Assessment (by Command) and an Explanatory Document recommending the negative resolution procedure (Secretary Andy Burnham); and

(2) draft Legislative Reform (Supervision of Alcohol Sales in Church and Village Halls &c.) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Impact Assessment (by Command) and an Explanatory Document recommending the negative resolution procedure (Secretary Andy Burnham).

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

3 Financial Services and Markets

(1) Draft Open-Ended Investment Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Ian Pearson).

(2) Draft Unit Trusts (Electronic Communications) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Ian Pearson); and

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

4 Antarctica

Antarctic (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3066), dated 19 November 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary David Miliband).

5 Education

(1) Education (School and Local Education Authority Performance Targets) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3086), dated 1 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Ed Balls);

(2) Leeds City College (Government) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3084), dated 1 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary John Denham); and

(3) Leeds City College (Incorporation) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3083), dated 1 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary John Denham).

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6 Housing

Home Information Pack (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3107), dated 4 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Hazel Blears).

7 Medicines

Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc.) Amendment Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3097), dated 3 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alan Johnson).

Other Papers:

8 Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Autumn Performance Report for 2008 (by Command) (Cm. 7517) (Liam Byrne).

9 Export Control

Export of Objects of Cultural Interest 2007^08 (by Act) (Secretary Andy Burnham).

10 National Audit

Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on Maintaining the Occupied Royal Palaces (by Act); to be printed (HC 14) (Clerk of the House).

11 National Savings Bank

Accounts of the National Savings and Investments Ordinary Deposits for 2007^08,with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 29) (Clerk of the House).

12 Northern Ireland

Report and Accounts of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for 2007^08, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 22) (Mr Secretary Woodward).

Withdrawn Papers:

13 Financial Services and Markets

(1) Draft Open-Ended Investment Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (laid 25 November 2008); and

(2) draft Unit Trusts (Electronic Communications) Order 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (laid 25 November 2008).

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