House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Wednesday
13th October 2010

No. 50

Wednesday 13 October 2010

The House met at 11.30 am.

PRAYERS.

1 Selection

Ordered, That Helen Jones, Mr Frank Roy and Mr John Spellar be discharged from the Committee of Selection and Mr Alan Campbell, Mark Tami and David Wright be added.-(Mr John Randall.)

2 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for International Development

(2) the Prime Minister

3 Postal Services Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)

Secretary Vince Cable, supported by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Theresa May, Secretary Owen Paterson, Mr Secretary Moore, Secretary Cheryl Gillan, Mr David Willetts, Mr Edward Davey and Mr Edward Vaizey, presented a Bill to make provision for the restructuring of the Royal Mail group and about the Royal Mail Pension Plan; to make new provision about the regulation of postal services, including provision for a special administration regime; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 78) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 78–EN).

4 Public Houses and Private Members’ Clubs (Smoking): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)

Motion made and Question proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to exempt public houses and private members’ clubs from the requirements of Part 1 of the Health Act 2006 relating to smoke-free premises; and for connected purposes.-(Mr David Nuttall.)

Motion opposed (Standing Order No. 23(1)).

Question put.

The House divided.

Division No. 70.

Ayes: 86 (Tellers: Mr Peter Bone, Mr Philip Hollobone).

Noes: 141 (Tellers: Peter Bottomley, Chris Bryant).

Question accordingly negatived.

5 Superannuation Bill: Consideration of the Bill, not amended in the Public Bill Committee

New Clause NC1-(Mr Francis Maude)-brought up and read the first time.

Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.

The House divided.

Division No. 71.

Ayes: 299 (Tellers: Stephen Crabb, Jeremy Wright).

Noes: 240 (Tellers: Phil Wilson, Mr David Anderson).

Question accordingly agreed to.

Clause added to the Bill.

Amendment 4 proposed.

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 72.

Ayes: 238 (Tellers: Phil Wilson, Mr David Anderson).

Noes: 316 (Tellers: Norman Lamb, Mr Shailesh Vara).

Question accordingly negatived.

Amendment 1 made.

Title accordingly amended, as follows: A Bill to make provision for and in connection with limiting the value of the benefits which may be provided under so much of any scheme under section 1 of the Superannuation Act 1972 as provides by virtue of section 2(2) of that Act for benefits to be provided by way of compensation to or in respect of persons who suffer loss of office or employment; and to make provision modifying the effect of section 2(3) of the Superannuation Act 1972 in relation to such benefits.

6 Superannuation Bill: Third Reading

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

Division No. 73.

Ayes: 309 (Tellers: Stephen Crabb, Jeremy Wright).

Noes: 242 (Tellers: Phil Wilson, Mr David Anderson).

Question accordingly agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the third time, and passed.

7 Private Bills [Lords]: London Local Authorities Bill [Lords]: Second Reading

Motion made and Question proposed, That the London Local Authorities Bill [Lords] be now read a second time.

Mike Freer claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).

The Deputy Speaker withheld assent and declined to put that Question.

Question put, That the Bill be now read a second time.

The House divided.

Division No. 74.

Ayes: 293 (Tellers: Mr Matthew Offord, John Stevenson).

Noes: 21 (Tellers: Mr Christopher Chope, Mr Peter Bone).

Question accordingly agreed to, and Bill read a second time and committed.

8 Draft EU Budget 2011

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House takes note of European Union Document No. SEC(2010) 473, Statement of Estimates of the European Commission for the financial year 2011; and supports the Government’s efforts to maintain the 2011 EU budget at the cash levels equivalent to the 2010 budget, while ensuring better value for money in EU expenditure.-(Justine Greening.)

Amendment (b) moved, in line 2, to leave out from ‘2011’ to the end of the Question and add ‘is concerned at the above-inflation increase being made to Britain’s EU budget contribution; believes that, at a time when the Government is poised to make reductions in public spending elsewhere, it is wrong to increase that contribution; and calls on the Government to reduce Britain’s EU budget contribution’.-(Mr Douglas Carswell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 75.

Ayes: 42 (Tellers: Mr Peter Bone, Mr Philip Hollobone).

Noes: 252 (Tellers: Mr Shailesh Vara, Jeremy Wright).

Question accordingly negatived.

Amendment (a) moved, in line 5, at end to add ‘and calls on the Government to reject European Parliament proposals to increase the budget’.-(Mr William Cash.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made (Order, 12 October).

Question agreed to.

Main Question, as amended, put and agreed to.

Resolved, That this House takes note of European Union Document No. SEC(2010) 473, Statement of Estimates of the European Commission for the financial year 2011; and supports the Government’s efforts to maintain the 2011 EU budget at the cash levels equivalent to the 2010 budget, while ensuring better value for money in EU expenditure; and calls on the Government to reject European Parliament proposals to increase the budget.

9 Delegated Legislation

Ordered, That the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 2134) and the Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (No. 3) (England) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 2135), be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee.-(Stephen Crabb.)

10 Public Petitions

A Public Petition from residents of the Sedgefield constituency, and others, relating to Intercity Express Programme was presented and read by Phil Wilson.

11 Adjournment

Subject: Government policy on the validation of degrees and the University of London’s International Programme (Ms Gisela Stuart).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Stephen Crabb.)

Adjourned at 9.08 pm until tomorrow.

_________________

Other proceedings

General Committees: Appointments

The Speaker appoints the Chair of General Committees and members of Programming Sub-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).

12 Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee

(1) Chairs: Martin Caton and Mr Christopher Chope

(2) Members: Gordon Birtwistle, Lyn Brown, Charlie Elphicke, Chris Evans, Mr David Gauke, Sheila Gilmore, Mr Robert Goodwill, Justine Greening, Mr David Hanson, Richard Harrington, Chris Leslie, Kerry McCarthy, Alison McGovern, Penny Mordaunt, Jim Shannon, Alok Sharma, Alec Shelbrooke and Stephen Williams.

13 First Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Political Parties, Elections and Referendums (Civil Sanctions) Order 2010)

(1) Chairs: Mr Peter Bone

(2) Members: Chris Bryant, Alex Cunningham, Mr Nigel Dodds, Mr Philip Dunne, Clive Efford, Julie Elliott, Barry Gardiner, Pat Glass, Mr Mark Harper, Jack Lopresti, Mary Macleod, Paul Maynard, Nigel Mills, David Morris, James Morris, Mark Tami, Mr Mark Williams and Roger Williams.

14 European Committee B in respect of European Union Document No. 8910/10 and Addenda 1 to 5, relating to a Commission Communication on a twelve-point EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals

(1) Chair: John Robertson

(2) Members: Kerry McCarthy and Mr Gareth Thomas discharged and Mark Lazarowicz and Stephen Pound nominated in substitution.

European Union Documents Referred

15 European Committee B

Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum dated 29 September 2010, submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, relating to a Council Decision amending and extending Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP on the European Union rule of law Mission in Kosovo.

Reports from Select Committees

16 Education Committee

(1) The Early Years Single Funding Formula: Government Response to the Seventh Report from the Children, Schools and Families Committee, Session 2009–10: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 524);

(2) Transforming Education outside the Classroom: Responses from the Government and Ofsted to the Sixth Report from the Children, Schools and Families Committee, Session 2009–10: Third Special Report, to be printed (HC 525);

(3) Behaviour and discipline in schools: Evidence, to be printed (HC 516-i)

(Mr Graham Stuart).

17 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Future flood and water management legislation:

(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 522-i);

(2) Written evidence, to be published

(Miss Anne McIntosh).

18 European Scrutiny Committee

(1) Third Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 428-iii);

(2) Ministerial Correspondence: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr William Cash).

19 Foreign Affairs Committee

The UK’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan: Evidence, to be printed (HC 514i) (Richard Ottaway).

20 Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

(1) Bloody Sunday Inquiry: Evidence, to be printed (HC 499-i);

(2) Corporation Tax: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Laurence Robertson).

21 Public Accounts (Committee of)

A defence estate of the right size to meet operational needs and strategic financial management of the defence budget: Evidence, to be printed (HC 503-i) (Margaret Hodge).

22 Science and Technology Committee

(1) Scientific advice and evidence in emergencies: Written evidence, to be published;

(2) The UK Space Agency: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) The Reviews into the Climatic Research Unit’s E-mails at the University of East Anglia: Written evidence, to be published

(Andrew Miller).

23 Scottish Affairs Committee

(1) The Video Games Industry in Scotland: Evidence, to be printed (HC 500);

(2) Banking in Scotland: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Ian Davidson).

24 Standards and Privileges (Committee on)

(1) Bill Wiggin: Third Report, with Appendices, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 526);

(2) Mr Denis MacShane: First Special Report, to be printed (HC 527)

(Mr Kevin Barron).

25 Work and Pensions Committee

(1) The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and the Child Support Agency’s Operational Improvement Plan: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2009–10: First Special Report, to be printed (HC 507);

(2) Management and Administration of Contracted Employment Programmes: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2009–10: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 508);

(3) Local Housing Allowance: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2009–10: Third Special Report, to be printed (HC 509);

(4) Youth unemployment and the Future Jobs Fund: Written evidence, to be published

(Miss Anne Begg).

[WH, No. 29]

Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting began at 9.30 am.

Adjournment

Subjects:

Housing benefit and local authority budgets (Margaret Hodge).

Bogus charity bag collections (Tracey Crouch).

Public trust in police forces (Mark Pritchard).

Government policy on energy from onshore wind turbines (Chris Heaton-Harris).

Future of coal-burning power stations (Daniel Kawczynski).

Resolved, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(Mr Robert Goodwill.)

Adjourned at 5.19 pm until tomorrow.

APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

1 Official Statistics

Draft Official Statistics Order 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Francis Maude).

2 Taxes

Draft Tax Avoidance Schemes (Penalty) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Gauke).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

3 Betting, Gaming and Lotteries, Wales

Welsh Language (Gambling and Licensing Forms) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 2440), dated 7 October 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jeremy Hunt).

4 Income Tax

Capital Allowances (Environmentally Beneficial Plant and Machinery) (Amendment) Order 2010 (S.I., 2010, No. 2483), dated 11 October 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Justine Greening).

Other Papers:

5 Betting, Gaming and Lotteries

Reports and Accounts of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and Horserace Totalisator Board for 2009–10 (by Act) (Secretary Jeremy Hunt).

6 Business, Innovation and Skills

Delivering for the future: a universal mail service and community post offices in the digital age (by Command) (Cm. 7946) (Secretary Vince Cable).

7 General and Specialist Medical Practice (Education, Training and Qualifications)

Report and Accounts of Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board for 2009–10, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument); to be printed (HC 462) (Mr Secretary Lansley).

8 National Audit

Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Central government’s use of consultants and interims (by Act); to be printed (HC 488) (Clerk of the House).

Withdrawn Papers:

9 Taxes

Draft Tax Avoidance Schemes (Penalty) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (laid 26 July 2010).