Commons Journal 266

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[No. 69 Thursday 8 April 2010 ]

The house met at 10.30 am.

PRAYERS.

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

2 Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill: Consideration of the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee

Amendment 1 proposed._(Mr Christopher Chope.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendment 5 proposed._(Mr Christopher Chope.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 133.

Ayes: 1 (Tellers: Mr Christopher Chope, Mr Edward Leigh).

Noes: 212 (Tellers: Mrs Sharon Hodgson, Lyn Brown).

Question accordingly negatived.

3 Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill: Third Reading

It being more than one hour after the commencement of proceedings on the Bill, the Deputy Speaker put forthwith the Question necessary to bring proceedings to a conclusion (Order, 7 April).

Question put, That the Bill be now read the third time.

Question agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the third time and passed.

4 Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments

Lords Amendments 1 to 6 agreed to.

Lords Amendment 7

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House agrees with Lords Amendment 7._(Secretary Jack Straw.)

One hour after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion, the debate was interrupted (Order, 7 April).

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The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83F).

(1) That this House agrees with Lords Amendment 7 (Question already proposed from the Chair).

The House divided.

Division No. 134.

Ayes: 176 (Tellers: Mrs Sharon Hodgson, Kerry McCarthy).

Noes: 18 (Tellers: Mr Colin Breed, John Barrett).

Question accordingly agreed to.

(2) That this House agrees with Lords Amendments 8 to 80 (single Question to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments).

The House divided.

Division No. 135.

Ayes: 170 (Tellers: Lyn Brown, Kerry McCarthy).

Noes: 12 (Tellers: Mr Colin Breed, John Barrett).

Question accordingly agreed to, with Commons privileges waived in respect of Lords Amendments 37, 41, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 67 to 69.

(3) That Amendment (a) be made (Question on consequential Amendment moved by Minister of the Crown).

Question agreed to.

5 Children, Schools and Families Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments

Lords Amendments 1 to 34 agreed to.

6 Energy Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments

Lords Amendments 1 to 9 agreed to.

7 Financial Services Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments

Lords Amendments 1 to 49 agreed to, with Commons privileges waived in respect of Lords Amendments 45 to 48.

8 Flood and Water Management Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments

Lords Amendments 1 to 25 agreed to.

9 Suspension of sitting

The Deputy Speaker suspended the sitting (Order, 7 April).

10 Presentation of Public Petition

A Public Petition from residents of Cambridge (English UK & EFL Organisations) relating to Student Visas was presented.

A Public Petition from residents of the constituency of Henley relating to Equitable Life (Henley) was presented.

A Public Petition from persons resident in the Sunderland North parliamentary constituency relating to Badman Report (Sunderland North) was presented.

11 Message to attend the Lords Commissioners

A Message from the Lords Commissioners was delivered by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.

Mr Speaker,

The Lords, authorised by virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, for declaring Her Royal Assent to several Acts agreed upon by both Houses, and for proroguing the present Parliament, desire the immediate attendance of this Honourable House in the House of Peers, to hear the Commission read.

Accordingly the Speaker, with the House, went up to the House of Peers, where a Commission was read, giving, declaring and notifying the Royal Assent to the following Acts, and for proroguing this present Parliament.

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The Royal Assent was given to the following Acts:_

Appropriation No. 2 Act 2010

Finance Act 2010

Anti-Slavery Day Act 2010

Equality Act 2010

Northern Ireland Assembly Members Act 2010

Crime and Security Act 2010

Personal Care at Home Act 2010

Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Act 2010

Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010

Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010

Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010

Bribery Act 2010

Digital Economy Act 2010

Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010

Children, Schools and Families Act 2010

Energy Act 2010

Financial Services Act 2010

Flood and Water Management Act 2010

Bournemouth Borough Council Act 2010

Manchester City Council Act 2010

And afterwards Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Leader of the House of Lords (in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command), as follows:

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

My Government's overriding priority has been to restore growth to deliver a fair and prosperous economy for families and businesses, as the British economy recovers from the global economic downturn. Through employment and training programmes, restructuring the financial sector, strengthening the national infrastructure and providing responsible investment, my Government has taken action to support growth and employment.

My Government has also strengthened key public services, ensuring that, increasingly, individual entitlements guarantee good services, and has worked to build trust in democratic institutions.

My Government has sought effective global and European collaboration, including through the European Union, to combat climate change, including at the Copenhagen summit in December last year, and to sustain economic recovery through the G20.

The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to visit Bermuda, and Trinidad and Tobago for our State Visit and to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the Commonwealth's 60th anniversary year. We were glad to welcome the President of South Africa on his successful visit to this country earlier this year.

The Duke of Edinburgh and I were saddened to learn of the devastation brought on Haiti and Chile by recent earthquakes and hope that relief and reconstruction efforts, which my Government and the British people have supported, can build on the spirit and resilience displayed by their people.

My Government has continued to reform and strengthen regulation of the financial services industry to ensure a stable financial sector that supports the wider economy, with greater protection for savers and taxpayers.

As the economic recovery is established, my Government has taken steps to reduce the budget deficit and ensure that national debt is on a sustainable path. Legislation has been enacted to halve the deficit.

An Act has been passed to enable the wider provision of free personal care to those with the highest needs.

An Act has been passed to protect communities by ensuring that parents take responsibility for their children's antisocial behaviour and by tackling youth gang crime.

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An Act has been passed to ensure the communications infrastructure is fit for the digital age, supports future economic growth, delivers competitive communications and enhances public service broadcasting.

Legislation has been enacted to support carbon capture and storage and to help more of the most vulnerable households with their energy bills.

My Government has set out proposals for high-speed rail services between London and Scotland.

Legislation has been enacted to protect communities from flooding and to improve the management of water supplies.

My Government has remained committed to ensuring everyone has a fair chance in life and an Act has been passed to promote equality, narrow the gap between rich and poor and tackle discrimination. The Act also introduces transparency in the workplace to help address the differences in pay between men and women.

An Act has been passed to enshrine in law the commitment by my Government to abolish child poverty by 2020.

Legislation has been enacted to provide agency workers with the right to be treated equally with permanent staff on pay, holidays and other basic conditions after twelve weeks on an assignment.

Legislation has been enacted to take forward constitutional reform.

An Act has been passed to strengthen the law against bribery.

My Government has continued to work closely with the devolved administrations in the interests of all the people of the United Kingdom. My Government has remained committed to the Northern Ireland political process and has continued to work with Northern Ireland's leaders to ensure the continued stability of the devolved institutions and to complete the process of devolution by transferring policing and justice functions in April this year.

In Scotland, my Government set out plans to further strengthen devolution in its response to Final Report of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. My Government has continued to devolve more powers to Wales and has remained committed to a referendum on further devolution.

Members of the House of Commons

I thank you for the provision you have made for the work and dignity of the Crown and for the public service.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

My Government has worked for security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and Pakistan and for peace in the Middle East.

Legislation has been enacted to ban cluster munitions.

My Government has continued to work towards creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons, including addressing the challenges from Iran and North Korea.

Draft legislation has been published to make binding my Government's commitment to spend nought point seven per cent of national income on international development from 2013.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.

By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission which has now been read, we do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the twentieth day of this instant April to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the twentieth day of this instant April.

Other proceedings

Standing Orders (Public Business)

12 Ordered, That the Standing Orders relating to Public Business from the end of this Parliament be printed (HC 539).

Lords Messages

13 Children, Schools and Families Bill

The Lords agree to the Children, Schools and Families Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

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14 Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

The Lords agree to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

15 Financial Services Bill

The Lords agree to the Financial Services Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

16 Flood and Water Management Bill

The Lords agree to the Flood and Water Management Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

17 Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Bill

The Lords agree to the Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Bill, without Amendment.

18 Personal Care at Home Bill

The Lords do not insist on their Amendments to the Personal Care at Home Bill to which the Commons have disagreed.

19 Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill

The Lords agree to the Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill, without Amendment.

20 Appropriation Bill

The Lords agree to the Appropriation Bill, without Amendment.

21 Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill

The Lords agree to the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill, without Amendment.

22 Finance Bill

The Lords agree to the Finance Bill, without Amendment.

23 Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill

The Lords agree to the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill, without Amendment.

24 Bribery Bill [Lords]

The Lords agree, without Amendment, to the Amendments made by the Commons to the Bribery Bill [Lords].

25 Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

The Lords agree to the consequential Amendment to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill which the Commons have proposed.

26 Digital Economy Bill [Lords]

The Lords agree, without Amendment, to the Amendments made by the Commons to the Digital Economy Bill [Lords].

Printing of Lords Amendments

27 Children, Schools and Families Bill

Lords Amendments to be considered today, and to be printed (Bill 105).

28 Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

Lords Amendments to be considered today, and to be printed (Bill 106).

29 Financial Services Bill

Lords Amendments to be considered today, and to be printed (Bill 107).

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30 Flood and Water Management Bill

Lords Amendments to be considered today, and to be printed (Bill 108).

APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1 Representation of the People

Draft Political Parties, Elections and Referendums (Civil Sanctions) Order 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Jack Straw).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

2 Agriculture

Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1195), dated 6 April 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Hilary Benn).

3 Legal Aid and Advice

Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. (N.I.), 2010, No. 146), dated 28 March 2010 (by Order), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jack Straw).

4 Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages Etc.

Parental Orders (Prescribed Particulars and Forms of Entry) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1205), dated 6 April 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alan Johnson).

5 Road Traffic

Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1203), dated 6 April 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Mr Sadiq Khan).

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