House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Tuesday
15th June 2010
No. 15
The House met at 2.30 pm.
PRAYERS.
1
Private Bills [Lords] (Revival): City of Westminster Bill [Lords]
Motion made, That so much of the Lords Message (10 June) as relates to the City of Westminster Bill [Lords] be now considered.-(First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.)
Objection taken (Standing Order No. 20(2)).
Ordered, That the debate be resumed on Thursday 24 June.
2
Saville Inquiry
Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a Return of the Report, dated 15 June 2010, of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, and of the Principal Conclusions and Overall Assessment, dated 15 June 2010, of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.-(Jeremy Wright.)
3
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
4
Statement: Saville Inquiry (Prime Minister)
5
Business of the House
Motion made and Question put, That, at today’s sitting, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Sir George Young relating to Backbench Business Committee, Election of Backbench Business Committee, Backbench Business (amendment of Standing Orders), Westminster Hall (amendment of Standing Orders), Topical Debates (amendments of Standing Orders), Pay for Chairs of Select Committees, Backbench Business Committee (Review), September sittings, Business of the House (Private Members’ Bills), Deferred divisions (timing), Select Committees (membership), Select committees (Machinery of Government Change) and Sittings of the House not later than 9.30 pm; such Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved; proceedings may continue after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.-(Mr David Heath.)
The House divided.
Division No. 5.
Ayes: 301 (Tellers: James Duddridge, Miss Chloe Smith).
Noes: 198 (Tellers: Mark Tami, Mary Creagh).
Question accordingly agreed to.
6
Backbench Business Committee
Motion made and Question proposed, That the following new Standing Order be made:-
(1) There shall be a select committee, called the Backbench Business Committee, to determine the backbench business to be taken in the House and in Westminster Hall on days, or parts of days, allotted for backbench business.
(2) The committee shall consist of a chair and seven other Members, of whom four shall be a quorum.
(3) The chair and other members of the committee shall continue as members of the committee for the remainder of the Session in which they are elected unless replaced under the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
(4) The chair and members of the committee shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
(5) No Member who is a Minister of the Crown or parliamentary private secretary or a principal opposition front-bench spokesperson shall be eligible to be the chair or a member of the committee: the Speaker’s decision shall be final on such matters.
(6) The committee shall have power to invite Government officials to attend all or part of any of its meetings.
(7) The committee shall determine the backbench business to be taken-
(a) in the House on any day, or any part of any day, allotted under paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 14, and
(b) in Westminster Hall, in accordance with paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 10,
and shall report its determinations to the House.
(8) At the commencement of any business in the House or in Westminster Hall which has been determined by the committee, a member of the committee shall make a brief statement of no more than five minutes explaining the committee’s reasons for its determination.-(Sir George Young.)
Amendment (e) proposed.-(Pete Wishart.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 6.
Ayes: 100 (Tellers: Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil, Jonathan Edwards,).
Noes: 331 (Tellers: Mr Shailesh Vara, Miss Chloe Smith).
Question accordingly negatived.
It being after 9.30 pm, the Speaker put the remaining Questions (Order, today).
Amendment (b) proposed.-(Mr Graham Allen.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 7.
Ayes: 171 (Tellers: Mr Michael Meacher, Mr Peter Bone).
Noes: 263 (Tellers: Mr Shailesh Vara, Miss Chloe Smith).
Question accordingly negatived.
Amendment (c) made.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Ordered, That the following new Standing Order be made:-
(1) There shall be a select committee, called the Backbench Business Committee, to determine the backbench business to be taken in the House and in Westminster Hall on days, or parts of days, allotted for backbench business.
(2) The committee shall consist of a chair and seven other Members, of whom four shall be a quorum.
(3) The chair and other members of the committee shall continue as members of the committee for the remainder of the Session in which they are elected unless replaced under the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
(4) The chair and members of the committee shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
(5) No Member who is a Minister of the Crown or parliamentary private secretary or a principal opposition front-bench spokesperson shall be eligible to be the chair or a member of the committee: the Speaker’s decision shall be final on such matters.
(6) The committee shall have power to invite Government officials to attend all or part of any of its meetings.
(7) The committee shall determine the backbench business to be taken-
(a) in the House on any day, or any part of any day, allotted under paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 14, and
(b) in Westminster Hall, in accordance with paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 10,
and shall report its determinations to the House.
7
Election of Backbench Business Committee
Ordered, That the following new Standing Order be made:-
(1)(a) The election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place at the start of each Session on a day to be determined by the Speaker.
(b) Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House between 10 am and 5 pm on the day before the day appointed for election.
(c) Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election, accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twenty nor more than twenty-five Members, of whom no fewer than ten shall be members of the candidate’s party and no fewer than ten shall be members of any other party or no party.
(d) No Member may sign the statement of more than one candidate.
(e) As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, a list of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall be published.
(f) Arrangements for the election shall follow those set out in paragraphs (9) to (14) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of committee chairs), save that in sub-paragraph (11)(e) the opening hours of the ballot shall be between eleven o’clock and one o’clock and in paragraph (12) reference to variation of timings shall be read as applying also to the timings in sub-paragraph (b) and (f) of this paragraph.
(2)(a) The election of members of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place on a day to be determined by the Speaker as soon as practicable after the election of the chair.
(b) Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House between 10 am and 5 pm on the day before the day appointed for election.
(c) Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election, accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twelve nor more than fifteen Members.
(d) As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, a list of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall be published.
(e) The provisions set out in paragraph (5) (a) to (d) and (f) of Standing Order No. 2A (Election of the Deputy Speakers) shall apply to the election of members of the committee.
(f) The ballot shall be counted under the Single Transferable Vote system, with constraints that of those elected:
(i) such a number of candidates shall come from each party represented in the House or those of no party as shall be determined and announced in advance by the Speaker, in such a way as to ensure that the committee including the Chair reflects as closely as possible the composition of the House, and
(ii) at least two women and two men shall be elected.
(3)(a) Standing Order No. 122C (Resignation or removal of chairs of select committees) shall apply to the chair of the Backbench Business Committee, save for paragraph (2) of that Order; and any election following a vacancy in the chair shall be held under the provisions of paragraph (1) (b) to (f) above.
(b) Where a member of the committee has ceased to be a member of this House or has given written notice to the Speaker of a wish to resign from the committee, the Speaker shall make arrangements for the election by the House of a replacement using the Alternative Vote System as set out in paragraph (11) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of committee chairs), and may give such directions on the party affiliation required for a valid candidature as are necessary to preserve the balance of parties on the committee as referred to in paragraph (2)(f)(i) above.-(Sir George Young.)
8
Backbench Business (amendment of Standing Orders)
Motion made and Question proposed, That Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) be amended by inserting at the end of line 40-
‘(3A) Thirty-five days or its equivalent shall be allotted in each session for proceedings in the House and in Westminster Hall on backbench business; the business determined by the Backbench Business Committee shall have precedence over government business (other than any order of the day or notice of motion on which the question is to be put forthwith) on those days; and the provisions of paragraph (2)(c) of this Standing Order shall apply to any of those days taken in the House in the form of half-days.
(3B) For the purposes of paragraph (3A) above, a Thursday sitting in Westminster Hall at which the business is appointed by the Backbench Business Committee shall count as one half-day and a topical debate shall count as one quarter-day.
(3C) Backbench business comprises all proceedings in the Chamber relating to any motion or order of the day except:
(a) government business, that is proceedings relating to government bills, financial business, proceedings under any Act of Parliament, or relating to European Union Documents, or any other motion in the name of a Minister of the Crown;
(b) opposition business under paragraph (2) above;
(c) motions for the adjournment of the House under paragraph (7) of Standing Order No. 9 (Sittings of the House), private Members’ motions for leave to bring in bills under Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to bring in bills and nomination of select committees at commencement of public business) and private Members’ bills under paragraphs (4) to (9) below;
(d) proceedings relating to private business;
(e) any motion to amend this order or Standing Order No. (Backbench Business Committee);
(f) business set down at the direction of, or given precedence by, the Speaker.
(3D) The proceedings to be taken as backbench business shall be determined by the Backbench Business Committee, as set out in Standing Order No. (Backbench Business Committee).’-(Sir George Young.)
Amendment (a) made.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Ordered, That Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) be amended by inserting at the end of line 40-
‘(3A) Thirty-five days or its equivalent shall be allotted in each session for proceedings in the House and in Westminster Hall on backbench business of which at least twenty-seven shall be allotted for proceedings in the House; the business determined by the Backbench Business Committee shall have precedence over government business (other than any order of the day or notice of motion on which the question is to be put forthwith) on those days; and the provisions of paragraph (2)(c) of this Standing Order shall apply to any of those days taken in the House in the form of half-days.
(3B) For the purposes of paragraph (3A) above, a Thursday sitting in Westminster Hall at which the business is appointed by the Backbench Business Committee shall count as one half-day and a topical debate shall count as one quarter-day.
(3C) Backbench business comprises all proceedings in the Chamber relating to any motion or order of the day except:
(a) government business, that is proceedings relating to government bills, financial business, proceedings under any Act of Parliament, or relating to European Union Documents, or any other motion in the name of a Minister of the Crown;
(b) opposition business under paragraph (2) above;
(c) motions for the adjournment of the House under paragraph (7) of Standing Order No. 9 (Sittings of the House), private Members’ motions for leave to bring in bills under Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to bring in bills and nomination of select committees at commencement of public business) and private Members’ bills under paragraphs (4) to (9) below;
(d) proceedings relating to private business;
(e) any motion to amend this order or Standing Order No. (Backbench Business Committee);
(f) business set down at the direction of, or given precedence by, the Speaker.
(3D) The proceedings to be taken as backbench business shall be determined by the Backbench Business Committee, as set out in Standing Order No. (Backbench Business Committee).’
9
Westminster Hall (amendment of Standing Orders)
Ordered, That Standing Order No. 10 (Westminster Hall) be amended as follows:-
(1) In paragraph (3) leave out ‘Subject to paragraph (13) below’ and insert ‘On Tuesdays and Wednesdays’;
(2) After paragraph (3) insert-
‘(3A) Subject to paragraph (13), the business taken at any Thursday sitting in Westminster Hall shall be such as the Backbench Business Committee shall determine’;
(3) In paragraph (13)-
(a) leave out ‘not more than six’ and insert ‘twenty’;
(b) at end add ‘, but the Speaker may appoint fewer than twenty days with the agreement of the Liaison Committee’.-(Sir George Young.)
10
Topical Debates (amendments of Standing Orders)
Ordered, That the Standing Orders be amended as follows:-
(1) In Standing Order No. 24A (Topical debates),
(a) in paragraph (1) leave out ‘A Minister of the Crown’ and insert ‘The Backbench Business Committee’, and
(b) leave out paragraphs (3) to (8).
(2) In Standing Order No. 47 (Time limits on speeches),
(a) after paragraph (3) insert-
‘(3A) The Speaker may announce, at or before the commencement of a topical debate in respect of which he has made or intends to make an announcement under paragraph (1) of this order, that speeches by a Minister of the Crown and any Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition shall be limited to ten minutes and he may direct any such Member who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.’; and
(b) in line 31, after ‘(3)’ insert ‘or (3A)’.-(Sir George Young.)
11
Pay for Chairs of Select Committees
Resolved, That this House expresses the opinion that the Resolution of the House of 30 October 2003, relating to Pay for Chairs of Select Committees (No. 2), should be further amended by inserting after ‘the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’, ‘the Backbench Business Committee’.-(Sir George Young.)
12
Pay for Chairs of Select Committees (No. 2)
Queen's Recommendation signified.
Ordered, That the Resolution of the House of 30 October 2003, relating to Pay for Chairs of Select Committees (No. 2), be further amended by inserting after ‘the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’, ‘the Backbench Business Committee’.-(Sir George Young.)
13
Backbench Business Committee (Review)
Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, the operation of the Backbench Business Committee should be reviewed at the beginning of the next Session of Parliament.-(Sir George Young.)
14
September sittings
Resolved, That this House reaffirms the importance of its function of holding the Government to account: and accordingly asks the Government to put to this House specific proposals for sitting periods in September 2010.-(Sir George Young.)
15
Business of the House (Private Members’ Bills)
Ordered, That Private Members’ Bills shall have precedence over Government business on 22 October, 12 and 19 November and 3 December 2010 and 21 January, 4 and 11 February, 4 and 18 March, 1 April, 13 May and 10 and 17 June 2011.-(Sir George Young.)
16
Deferred divisions (timing)
Ordered, That Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) be amended as follows:-
(1) in line 37, leave out ‘half-past twelve o’clock’ and insert ‘half-past eleven o’clock’; and
(2) in line 44, by leaving out ‘one and a half hours after half-past twelve o’clock’ and inserting ‘two and a half hours after half-past eleven o’clock’.-(Sir George Young.)
17
Select committees (Machinery of Government Change)
Ordered, That Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) be amended in the table in paragraph (2), by leaving out item 2 (Children, Schools and Families) and inserting in the appropriate place:
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‘Education
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Department for Education
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11’-(Sir George Young.)
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18
Sittings of the House
Ordered, That, on Tuesday 22 June, the House shall meet at 11.30 am and references to specific times in the Standing Orders of this House shall apply as if that day were a Wednesday.-(Sir George Young.)
19
Adjournment
Subject: Activities of private wheel clamping companies in Doncaster Central constituency (Ms Rosie Winterton).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(James Duddridge.)
Adjourned at 10.25 pm until tomorrow.
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Other proceedings
Lords Messages
20
Private Bills [Lords]: London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
The Lords communicate that they have come to the following resolution in respect of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords] to which they desire the agreement of the Commons-
That the promoters of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords] which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in session 2007–08 on 22 January 2008 should have leave to proceed with the Bill in the current Session in accordance with the provisions of House of Lords Private Business Standing Order 150B (Revival of Bills).
21
Private Bills [Lords]: Transport for London (Supplemental Toll Provisions) Bill [Lords]
The Lords communicate that they have come to the following resolution in respect of the Transport for London (Supplemental Toll Provisions) Bill [Lords] to which they desire the agreement of the Commons-
That the promoters of the Transport for London (Supplemental Toll Provisions) Bill [Lords] which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in session 2006–07 on 22 January 2007 should have leave to proceed with the Bill in the current Session in accordance with the provisions of House of Lords Private Business Standing Order 150B (Revival of Bills).
John Bercow
Speaker
The Speaker will take the Chair at 11.30 am.
Sitting in Westminster Hall
No. 3
The sitting began at 9.30 am.
Adjournment
Subjects:
Sovereignty of Parliament and the European Union (Mr William Cash).
Government policy on Gaza (Ms Karen Buck).
Protection for the Lymington River (Mr Desmond Swayne).
Building Schools for the Future programme in Barking and Dagenham (Jon Cruddas).
Constituency boundaries of islands (Mr Andrew Turner).
Resolved, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(James Duddridge.)
Adjourned at 1.52 pm until tomorrow.
Lindsay Hoyle
Deputy Speaker
APPENDIX
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
1
Agriculture
Rice Products from the United States of America (Restriction on First Placing on the Market) (England) (Revocation) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1585), dated 13 June 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Mr Secretary Lansley).
2
Public Health
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Order 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1593), dated 10 June 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Mr Secretary Lansley).
3
Sports Grounds and Sporting Events
Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 1584), dated 9 June 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jeremy Hunt).
Other Papers:
4
Government Trading Funds
Report and Accounts of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre for 2009–10, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 38) (Clerk of the House).
5
National Audit
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the performance and management of hospital PFI contracts (by Act); to be printed (HC 68) (Clerk of the House).
6
National Health Service
Report and Accounts of James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for 2009–10 (by Act) (Mr Secretary Lansley).
7
Northern Ireland
(1) Principal Conclusions and Overall Assessment of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry (pursuant to Resolution this day); to be printed (HC 30) (Secretary Owen Paterson); and
(2) Report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry (pursuant to Resolution this day); to be printed (HC 29 -I to -X) (Secretary Owen Paterson).
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