Commons Journal 265

Previous Next

[No. 6 ]

Thursday 11 December 2008

The house met at 10.30 am.

PRAYERS.

1 Questions to (1) the Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

(2) the honourable Member representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

(3) the honourable Member representing the Church Commissioners

(4) the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission

2 Business Questions (Leader of the House)

3 Statement: Up-rating of Benefits (Tony McNulty)

4 Queen's Speech (Motion for an Address) (fifth day)

Debate resumed (Order, 10 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.

Amendment proposed, at end of the Question, to add `but regret the absence of measures in the Gracious Speech to deliver reforms which would make public services genuinely accountable to patients and parents; believe that the measures proposed offer no prospect of raising long-term productivity or value for money in public services; object to the absence of measures to reduce bureaucracy; regret the failure to abolish centrally-dictated targets and support public services focused on outcomes; note the lack of commitment to improve public health and outcomes to reduce health inequalities; regret the failure to provide patients with meaningful information to improve local accountability; deplore the failure to bring forward proposals on social care; further regret the lack of measures to break the link between poverty and educational achievement and to raise standards in literacy; call for proposals to tackle the United Kingdom's declining position in international education league tables and to give pupils in state schools the opportunity to sit the best examinations; note the lack of proposals to ensure higher standards of child protection; further regret the absence of measures to reverse the decline of science and to make schools accountable to parents rather than bureaucrats; and seek long-term reform of public services rather than short-term palliatives.'._(Mr Andrew Lansley.)

Mr Patrick McLoughlin claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).

Question put, That the Question be now put.

Question agreed to.

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

Page 23 Thursday 11 December 2008 2008-09 Volume 265 Back to top  

The House divided.

Division No. 4.

Ayes: 180 (Tellers: Mr David Evennett, Jeremy Wright).

Noes: 270 (Tellers: Chris Mole, Mr Bob Blizzard).

Question accordingly negatived.

Since it was after 6.00 pm, the debate was adjourned.

Ordered, That the debate be resumed on Monday 15 December.

5 Adjournment

Subject: Closure of outpatients' facilities in Rushden (Mr Peter Bone).

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn._(Claire Ward.)

House adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 9(7)).

[Adjourned at 6.45 pm until Monday 15 December. ]

Other proceedings

Lords Messages

6 Consolidation, &c., Bills

The Lords communicate that they have appointed a Committee consisting of twelve Lords to join with a Committee appointed by the Commons as the Joint Committee on Consolidation, &c., Bills.

Reports from Select Committees

7 Health Committee

Public Expenditure on Health and Personal Social Services 2008: Evidence, to be printed (HC 28-i) (Mr Kevin Barron).

8 Public Administration (Select Committee on)

(1) The Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life: Second Report, with written evidence, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report, and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 11, 13 and 26 November in the last session of Parliament (HC 41-I and -II);

(2) Leaks and Whistleblowing in Whitehall:

(3) The Work of the Cabinet Office: Evidence, to be printed (HC 45-i)

(Dr Tony Wright).

APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1 Contracting Out

Draft Contracting Out (Highway Functions) Order 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

2 Administration of Estates

Intestate Succession (Interest and Capitalisation) (Amendment) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3162), dated 9 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jack Straw).

Page 24 Thursday 11 December 2008 2008-09 Volume 265 Back to top  

3 Education

(1) Education (Admissions Appeals Arrangements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3092), dated 3 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Ed Balls);

(2) School Admissions (Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3090), dated 3 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Ed Balls);

(3) School Admissions (Local Authority Reports and Admission Forums) (England) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3091), dated 3 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Ed Balls); and

(4) School Information (England) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3093), dated 3 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Ed Balls).

4 Health Care and Associated Professions

(1) General Optical Council (Committee Constitution) (Amendment) Rules Order of Council 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3113), dated 1 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alan Johnson); and

(2) Nursing and Midwifery Council (Midwifery and Practice Committees) (Constitution) Rules Order of Council 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3148), dated 9 December 2008 (by Order), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Statutory Instrument) (Secretary Alan Johnson).

5 Housing

Family Intervention Tenancies (Review of Local Authority Decisions) (England) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3111), dated 4 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Hazel Blears).

6 Income Tax

Authorised Investment Funds (Tax) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3159), dated 10 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Ian Pearson).

7 Merchant Shipping

Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3145), dated 5 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

8 Social Security

Social Security (Child Benefit Disregard) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3140), dated 5 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary James Purnell).

9 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge

(1) Statute, dated 10 June 2008, made by the Governing Body of the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the University (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jack Straw); and

(2) Statute, dated 28 November 2007, made by the Governing Body of Wadham College, in the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the College (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jack Straw).

Other Papers:

10 Census

Helping to shape tomorrow: The 2011 Census of Population and Housing in England and Wales (by Command) (Cm. 7513) (Liam Byrne).

11 Children, Schools and Families

Department for Children, Schools and Families: Autumn Performance Report for 2008 (by Command) (Cm. 7507) (Secretary Ed Balls).

12 Justice

Ministry of Justice: Autumn Performance Report for 2008 (by Command) (Cm. 7525) (Secretary Jack Straw).

Page 25 Thursday 11 December 2008 2008-09 Volume 265 Back to top  

13 Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration

First Report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Session 2008^09: Improving public service: a matter of principle (by Act); to be printed (HC 9) (Clerk of the House).

14 Reserve Forces

Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations Regulations for 2009 (by Act) (Mr Secretary Hutton).

15 United Nations

(1) United Nations Arms Embargoes (Dependent Territories) (Amendment) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3123), dated 10 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary David Miliband); and

(2) United Nations Arms Embargoes (Rwanda) (Amendment) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3128), dated 10 December 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary David Miliband).

Withdrawn Papers:

16 Companies

Draft Registrar of Companies and Applications for Striking Off Regulations 2008 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (laid 24 November).

Page 25 Thursday 11 December 2008 2008-09 Volume 265 Back to top  

Previous Next