Commons Journal 265

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[No. 73 Monday 11 May 2009 ]

The house met at 2.30 pm.

PRAYERS.

1 Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

2 Speaker's Statement: Members' expenses

3 Equality Bill: Second Reading

Motion made and Question proposed, That the Equality Bill be now read a second time.

Amendment moved, to leave out from `That' to the end of the Question and add `this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Equality Bill because it fails to address the root causes of the reduction in social mobility in recent years, fails to address the disability pay gap, especially in the Civil Service, gives employment tribunals too many powers in areas where they are not best placed to judge, contains disproportionate and bureaucratic proposals on the gender pay gap which will impose unnecessary costs on business whilst failing to solve the problem, fails to implement proposals on compulsory pay audits for those organisations which are found guilty of discrimination by an employment tribunal, gives Ministers the power to amend the Act by order instead of leaving this to Parliament, and allows discrimination in recruitment and promotion decisions.'._(Mrs Theresa May.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

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Division No. 115.

Ayes: 139 (Tellers: Mr John Baron, Mr Philip Dunne).

Noes: 322 (Tellers: Steve McCabe, Ms Diana R. Johnson).

Question accordingly negatived.

Question, That the Bill be read a second time, put forthwith (Standing Order No. 62(2)).

Question agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a second time.

4 Equality Bill (Programme)

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Equality Bill:

Committal

1. The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Public Bill Committee

2. Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on 7 July 2009.

3. The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

4. Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

5. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

6. Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

7. Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the Lords) may be programmed._(Claire Ward.)

The House divided.

Division No. 116.

Ayes: 278 (Tellers: Ms Diana R. Johnson, Steve McCabe).

Noes: 181 (Tellers: Mr John Baron, Mr Philip Dunne).

Question accordingly agreed to.

5 Equality Bill (Money)

Queen's Recommendation signified.

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 52), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Equality Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any increase attributable to the Act in the expenses of a Minister of the Crown._(Barbara Keeley.)

Question agreed to.

6 Equality Bill (Carry-Over)

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 80A(1)(a)), That if, at the conclusion of this Session of Parliament, proceedings on the Equality Bill have not been completed, they shall be resumed in the next Session._(Barbara Keeley.)

The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question was challenged.

Division deferred until Wednesday 13 May (Standing Order No. 41A).

7 Public Passenger Transport

Ordered, That the Travel Concessions (Eligible Services) (Amendment) Order 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 575), dated 9 March 2009, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee._(Barbara Keeley.)

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8 Pensions

Ordered, That the Occupational, Personal and Stakeholder Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 615), dated 10 March 2009, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee._(Barbara Keeley.)

9 Public Petitions

A Public Petition from supporters of General Practice surgeries in South West Bedfordshire, and others, relating to General Practice surgeries (Bedfordshire) was presented and read by Andrew Selous.

A Public Petition from people concerned at the proposed development of an energy from waste plant at Ernesettle, Plymouth relating to planning and development (Plymouth) was presented and read by Alison Seabeck.

10 Adjournment

Subject: Public health benefits of 80 years of penicillin (Des Browne).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn._(Steve McCabe.)

[Adjourned at 10.54 pm until tomorrow. ]

Other proceedings

Lords Messages

11 Joint Committee on the draft Bribery Bill

The Lords communicate that they have appointed a Committee of twelve Lords to join with the Committee appointed by the Commons to consider and report on the draft Bribery Bill presented to both Houses on 25 March (Cm 7570) and that the Committee should report on the draft Bill by 21 July 2009;

That they have ordered that the Committee have power to agree with the Committee appointed by the Commons in the appointment of a Chairman;

That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records;

That the Committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the Committee have power to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom;

That the Committee have leave to report from time to time;

That the reports of the Committee from time to time shall be printed, regardless of any adjournment of the House;

That the evidence taken by the Committee shall, if the Committee so wishes, be published; and

That the Committee meet with the Committee appointed by the Commons on Tuesday 12 May at 10.30 am in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House.

Changes to Notices Given

12 Schools (Health Support) Bill

Bill withdrawn.

General Committees: Reports

13 First Delegated Legislation Committee

Jim Sheridan (Chairman) reported the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 4) Order 2009.

14 Second Delegated Legislation Committee

Bob Russell (Chairman) reported the draft Financial Assistance for Industry (Increase of Limit) (No. 2) Order 2009 and the draft Financial Assistance for Industry (Increase of Limit) (No. 3) Order 2009.

15 Third Delegated Legislation Committee

David Taylor (Chairman) reported the Motion in the name of Mr Pat McFadden relating to Financial Assistance to Industry.

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16 European Committee A in respect of European Union Documents No. 5779/09 and No. >5775/09,> relating to Maritime Transport

Joan Walley (Chairman) reported the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 5779/09, Commission Communication on Strategic goals and recommendations for the EU's maritime transport policy until 2018, and No. 5775/09, Commission Communication on Communication and action plan with a view to establishing a European maritime transport space without barriers; and endorses the Government's support for appropriate action at the European level where this would be effective in promoting European shipping, and providing economic, social, environmental, and regulatory benefits.

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).

17 Second Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Financial Assistance for Industry (Increase of Limit) (No. 2) Order 2009 and the draft Financial Assistance for Industry (Increase of Limit) (No. 3) Order 2009)

Chairman: Bob Russell in place of John Bercow.

Members: John Austin, Colin Burgon and Ian Pearson discharged and Jim McGovern, Mr Gareth Thomas and Derek Twigg nominated in substitution.

18 Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Motion in the name of Mr Pat McFadden relating to Financial Assistance to Industry)

Members: Mr Gareth Thomas discharged and Ian Pearson nominated in substitution.

19 Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Agriculture and Rural Development) Order 2009)

Members: Mr Philip Dunne discharged and Angela Watkinson nominated in substitution.

20 European Committee A in respect of European Union Documents No. 5779/09 and No. >5775/09,> relating to Maritime Transport

Members: Ms Katy Clark and Dr Rudi Vis discharged and Ruth Kelly and Mrs Linda Riordan nominated in substitution.

Reports from Select Committees

21 Communities and Local Government Committee

(1) Planning Policy Statement 6: Town Centres: Evidence, to be printed (HC 517-i);

(2) Traditional Retail Markets: Written evidence, to be published

(Dr Phyllis Starkey).

22 Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee

Students and Universities: Evidence, to be printed (HC 170-v) (Mr Phil Willis).

23 South East Regional Select Committee

The South East England Development Agency and the Regional Economic Strategy: Evidence, to be printed (HC 516-i) (Stephen Ladyman).

24 Welsh Affairs Committee

(1) Digital Inclusion in Wales: Evidence, to be printed (HC 58-vi); and

(2) Ports in Wales: Written evidence, to be published

(Dr Hywel Francis).

25 West Midlands Regional Select Committee

The impact of the current economic and financial situation on businesses in the West Midlands Region: Evidence, to be printed (HC 409-ii) (Richard Burden).

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APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1 Highways

Street Works (Charges for Unreasonably Prolonged Occupation of the Highway) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 1178), dated 6 May 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

2 Merchant Shipping

Merchant Shipping (Implementation of Ship-Source Pollution Directive) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 1210), dated 11 May 2009 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Geoff Hoon).

Other Papers:

3 Business and Enterprise

Government Response to the Fifth Report from the Business and Enterprise Committee, Session 2008^09, on the Postal Services Bill (by Command) (Cm. 7623) (Mr Pat McFadden).

4 Communities and Local Government

Government Response to the Second Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee, Session 2008^09, on the Department for Communities and Local Government's Annual Report 2008 (by Command) (Cm. 7614) (Secretary Hazel Blears).

5 Justice (Northern Ireland)

The impact of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland (by Act) (Mr Secretary Woodward).

6 Miscellaneous (No. 4, 2009)

Amendment, done at Washington, 28 April 2008, of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund to Enhance Voice and Participation in the International Monetary Fund; and Amendment, done at Washington, 5 May 2008, of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund to Expand the Investment Authority of the International Monetary Fund (by Command) (Cm. 7618) (Secretary David Miliband).

Withdrawn Papers:

7 Communities and Local Government

Government Response to the Second Report of the Communities and Local Government Committee, Session 2008^09, on the Department for Communities and Local Government's Annual Report 2008 (by Command) (Cm. 7614) (laid 7 May 2009).

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