Commons Journal 265

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[No. 18 ]

Thursday 22 January 2009

The house met at 10.30 am.

PRAYERS.

1 Private Bills [Lords]: Manchester City Council Bill [Lords] and Bournemouth Borough Council Bill [Lords]: Revival Motion (Standing Order 188B relating to Private Business)

Motion made, and Question (15 January) again proposed, That the promoters of the Manchester City Council Bill [Lords] and Bournemouth Borough Council Bill [Lords], which were originally introduced in the House of Lords in Session 2006^07 on 22 January 2007, may have leave to proceed with the Bills in the current Session according to the provisions of Standing Order 188B (Revival of bills).

Objection taken (Standing Order No. 20(2)).

Debate to be resumed on Thursday 29 January.

2 Private Bills: Canterbury City Council Bill, Leeds City Council Bill, Nottingham City Council Bill and Reading Borough Council Bill: Revival Motion (Standing Order 188B relating to Private Business)

Motion made, and Question (15 January) again proposed, That the promoters of the Canterbury City Council Bill, Leeds City Council Bill, Nottingham City Council Bill and Reading Borough Council Bill, which were originally introduced in this House in Session 2007^08 on 22 January 2008, may have leave to proceed with the Bills in the current Session according to the provisions of Standing Order 188B (Revival of bills).

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Objection taken (Standing Order No. 20(2)).

Debate to be resumed on Thursday 29 January.

3 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

(2) the Leader of the House and the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission

4 Statement: Police investigation (The Speaker)

5 Business Statement (Leader of the House)

6 Business of the House

Ordered, That, at this day's sitting, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Ms Harriet Harman relating to Payments to hon. Members (Publication Scheme), Members' Allowances (Green Book), Members' Allowances (Audit and Assurance) and Committee on Members' Allowances not later than 5.00 pm; in each case 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.)

7 Payments to Hon. Members (Publication Scheme)

Resolved, (1) That, subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) below, for the purpose of the publication scheme adopted and maintained by the House under section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, such information about payments made to, or on behalf of, hon. Members which is already published routinely in accordance with the scheme shall continue to be published;

(2) In addition, information relating to Members' expenditure from the beginning of the current Parliament shall be published in relation to each financial year, to the extent that such information is separately identifiable, under the following categories:

(a) Administrative and Office Expenditure:

(i) accommodation costs for offices, surgeries, etc;

(ii) office equipment and supplies;

(iii) telephones and other telecommunications;

(iv) professional fees and charges;

(v) agency and other staff costs;

(vi) travel costs;

(vii) utilities;

(b) Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure:

(i) mortgage interest;

(ii) rent;

(iii) hotel costs;

(iv) council tax;

(v) fixtures, fittings and furnishings;

(vi) subsistence;

(vii) other household costs, including service charges, utilities, telecommunications, maintenance and repairs;

(c) Communications Expenditure:

(i) websites;

(ii) reports and surveys;

(iii) delivery charges, postage and stationery;

(iv) advertising;

(v) equipment;

(d) Staffing Expenditure;

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(e) Travel Expenditure in relation to travel by Members:

(i) car, including third party vehicle rental and mileage;

(ii) rail;

(iii) air;

(iv) other UK and European travel;

(f) Resettlement Grant;

(g) Winding-up Expenditure;

(3) The Committee on Members' Allowances shall keep the categories listed in paragraph (2) above under review and may modify them from time to time as the committee may think necessary or desirable in the interests of clarity, consistency, accountability and effective administration, and conformity with current circumstances._(Ms Harriet Harman.)

8 Members' Allowances (Green Book)

Resolved, That this House approves the Guide to Members' Allowances (the Green Book), published as Annex 1 to the First Report of the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee (HC 142) and endorses the Principles set out in Part 1 of the Green Book as the basis for all claims made by Members;

That the rules set out in the Green Book shall govern all expenditure on Members' allowances with respect to all claims for expenditure arising on or after 1 April 2009;

That the Members Estimate Committee shall carry out a review of the provisions of the resolutions of this House relating to such expenditure, make such modifications to them as are necessary to ensure that they are consistent with the provisions in the Green Book, and report to the House; and

That this House thanks Ms Kay Carberry CBE, nominated by the Trades Union Congress, and Mr Keith Bradford, nominated by the Confederation of British Industry, for having acted as the Speaker's external appointees to the Advisory Panel on Members' Allowances._(Ms Harriet Harman.)

9 Members' Allowances (Audit and Assurance)

Resolved, That this House approves the arrangements for the audit and assurance of Members' allowances set out in the report of the Members Estimate Audit Committee to the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee, published as Annex 3 to the First Report of the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee (HC 142)._(Ms Harriet Harman.)

10 Committee on Members' Allowances

Ordered, That the following new Standing Order and amendments to the Standing Orders and Resolutions of the House be made:

A. New Standing Order

(1) There shall be a select committee, called the Committee on Members' Allowances,

(a) to advise the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee on the discharge of its functions; and

(b) to advise the Speaker, the Members Estimate Committee and the Leader of the House on the potential development of the arrangements made by or under the Resolutions in force from time to time regarding Members' allowances &c;

(2) The committee shall consist of eight members;

(3) Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament;

(4) The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House, to appoint specialist advisers and to report from time to time.

B. Amendment to Standing Order No. 152D

In Standing Order No. 152D, leave out lines 23 to 25;

C. Amendment to the Resolution of the House of 5 July 2001: Members' Allowances, Insurance &c.

Paragraph (5) of the Resolution of the House of 5 July 2001 relating to Members' Allowances, Insurance &c. shall cease to have effect._(Ms Harriet Harman.)

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11 Adjournment

Subject: Ministerial answers to Parliamentary Questions (Norman Baker).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn._(Chris Mole.)

[Adjourned at 4.42 pm until Monday 26 January. ]

Other proceedings

General Committees: Reports

12 Third Delegated Legislation Committee

Mr Eric Illsley (Chairman) reported the draft Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (Amendment) Order 2009.

13 Twelfth Delegated Legislation Committee

Mr John Bercow (Chairman) reported the Draft Postponement of Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2009.

Reports from Select Committees

14 Health Committee

(1) Work of the Committee 2007^08: Second Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 193);

(2) Patient Safety: Evidence, to be printed (HC 151-ii);

(3) Top-up Fees: Written evidence, to be printed (HC 194-II)

(Mr Kevin Barron).

15 International Development Committee

DFID and China: Evidence, to be printed (HC 180-i) (Malcolm Bruce).

16 Public Administration (Select Committee on)

(1) Leaks and Whistleblowing in Whitehall: Evidence, to be printed (HC 83-ii);

(2) Official Statistics: Written evidence, to be published

(Dr Tony Wright).

[WH, No. 9]  

Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting began at 2.30 pm.

Subject: Department for Culture, Media and Sport Annual Report 2008.

Resolved, That the sitting be now adjourned._(Mark Tami.)

[Adjourned at 4.21 pm until Tuesday 27 January. ]

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APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1 Employment and Training

(1) Draft Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry Training Board) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary John Denham); and

(2) draft Industrial Training Levy (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary John Denham).

2 Fees and Charges

Draft Department for Transport (Fees) Order 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

3 Highways

Road Tunnel Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 64), dated 18 January 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

Other Papers:

4 Companies

Professional Oversight Board: Report of the Independent Supervisor for 2008 (by Act); to be printed (HC 166) (Mr Pat McFadden).

5 Government Resources and Accounts

Resource Accounts of the Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation for 2007^08, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 60) (Stephen Timms).

6 Merchant Shipping

Report and Accounts of the General Lighthouse Fund for 2007^08, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 80) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

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