House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Wednesday
27th April 2011

No. 147

Wednesday 27 April 2011

The House met at 11.30 am.

PRAYERS.

1 Questions to (1) the Minister for the Cabinet Office

(2) the Prime Minister

2 Export Credits Guarantee Department (Regulation and Reporting): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Secretary of State to impose certain requirements on the Export Credits Guarantee Department, including the publication of an audit of all sums owed to the Department, an annual impact assessment and a real-time disclosure policy on all supported projects; to prohibit the support of certain activities by the Department; to provide that debt cancellation by the Department cannot be defined as official development assistance; to prohibit companies from receiving support from the Department for a period of at least five years following a relevant conviction of corruption; to introduce a duty of care provision which must be followed in the Department’s operations to provide access to justice for those affected by supported projects; and for connected purposes;

That Lisa Nandy, Zac Goldsmith, Roger Williams, Caroline Lucas, Tony Cunningham, Anas Sarwar, Dr Eilidh Whiteford, Sheila Gilmore, Bob Russell, Dr Julian Huppert, Teresa Pearce and Yasmin Qureshi present the Bill.

Lisa Nandy accordingly presented the Bill.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 11 November, and to be printed (Bill 182).

3 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (15th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))

(1) Sure Start Children’s Centres

Motion made and Question put, That this House believes that improving the life chances of children and young people from all backgrounds should be central to Government policy; recognises that the Sure Start network of 3,600 Children’s Centres, introduced by the previous administration, is crucial in delivering high quality early education and early intervention for children, as well as support, advice and specialist services for parents and carers; notes that the funding to local authorities for the Early Intervention Grant in 2011–12 represents a real terms cut of 22.4 per cent. nationally, compared to the 2010–11 allocations before in-year cuts to area based grants; recognises that, in the context of this cut to early intervention funding, the large, front-loaded cuts to other local authority funding streams, and the removal of the ring-fence around Sure Start funding, Sure Start Children’s Centres will inevitably be put at risk; notes that before the General Election the Prime Minister promised to protect and strengthen Sure Start; and therefore calls on the Government to protect the Sure Start network of Children’s Centres by thinking again about their deep cuts to Sure Start funding, to monitor the evidence and, if local authorities are choosing to disinvest in Sure Start centres, to commit to reinstating the ring-fence for Sure Start funding to ensure that vital and valued services are not lost.-(Andy Burnham.)

The House divided.

Division No. 259.

Ayes: 207 (Tellers: Mark Hendrick, Mr David Hamilton).

Noes: 312 (Tellers: Mr Shailesh Vara, Jeremy Wright).

Question accordingly negatived.

4 Deferred division

The Deputy Speaker announced the results of the Division which had been deferred to this day (Standing Order No. 41A).

Short Selling and certain aspects of Credit Default Swaps,-That this House takes note of European Union Documents No. 13840/10 and Addenda 1 and 2, relating to the draft Regulation on Short Selling and certain aspects of Credit Default Swaps, and No. 7379/11, relating to the corresponding Opinion of the European Central Bank; and supports the Government’s position that proposals should not impact market efficiency and liquidity, in particular in relation to sovereign debt.

Division No. 258.

Ayes: 287.

Noes: 20.

Question accordingly agreed to.

5 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (15th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14)) (resumed)

(2) Government Higher Education Policy

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House condemns the failure of the Government to deliver the commitment made to Parliament that £9,000 a year student fees would be ‘exceptional’; further notes that the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) has said that it has no powers to set university fees or determine university admissions policies; notes with alarm the warning of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills that average fees higher than £7,500 would mean reducing student numbers or further cutting university teaching funding; condemns the failure of Ministers to explain their policies by publishing a Higher Education White Paper; believes that Ministers are putting at risk the success of universities and the future of generations of students; further believes that current policies are unfair, unnecessary and unsustainable; and therefore calls on Ministers, as soon as practicable, to set out to Parliament how they will meet the promise that fees of £9,000 will only be in exceptional circumstances, to guarantee that there will be no fall in the number of university places or further cuts to university teaching budgets, and to outline what powers, if any, they propose for OFFA on determining fee levels and enforcing access arrangements.-(Mr John Denham.)

Mr Alan Campbell claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).

Question put, That the Question be now put.

Question agreed to.

Question accordingly put.

The House divided.

Division No. 260.

Ayes: 197 (Tellers: Phil Wilson, Angela Smith).

Noes: 304 (Tellers: Norman Lamb, Mr Shailesh Vara).

Question accordingly negatived.

6 Section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993

Motion made and Question put, That this House takes note with approval of the Government’s assessment as set out in the Budget Report, combined with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forms the basis of the UK’s Convergence Programme, for the purposes of section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993.-(Mr Mark Hoban.)

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

Division deferred until Wednesday 4 May (Standing Order No. 41A).

7 Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Amendment of List of Responders) Order 2011, which was laid before this House on 28 February, be approved.-(Mr Shailesh Vara.)

Question agreed to.

8 Sexual Exploitation of Children

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)), That this House takes note of the proposed draft Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, repealing Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA; supports the Government in welcoming the objectives of the draft Directive in raising the standards of protection from sexual exploitation for children across Europe; and supports the Government’s view that national law or practice in England and Wales fulfils the obligations in the draft Directive.-(Mr Shailesh Vara.)

Question agreed to.

9 Social Security

Ordered, That the Employment and Support Allowance (Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 228), dated 8 February 2011, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee.-(Mr Shailesh Vara.)

10 Public Petitions

A Public Petition from users of Pleck Library, Walsall relating to Pleck Library (Walsall) was presented and read by Valerie Vaz.

11 Adjournment

Subject: Government policy on self-regulation of the press (Mr Michael McCann).

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.-(Mr Shailesh Vara.)

House adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 9(7)).

Adjourned at 9.13 pm until tomorrow.

_________________

Other proceedings

Lords Messages

12 Pensions Bill [Lords]

The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision relating to pensions; and for connected purposes; to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

First Reading and Printing of Lords Bills

13 Pensions Bill [Lords]

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 183), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 183–EN).

14 Building Regulations (Review) Bill [Lords]

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 13 May, and to be printed (Bill 181).

Changes to Notices Given

15 High Pay Commission Bill

Order for Second Reading on Friday 13 May, read and discharged.

Bill to be read a second time on Friday 17 June.

16 Special Urban Development Zones Bill

Order for Second Reading on Friday 17 June, read and discharged.

Bill to be read a second time on Friday 20 January 2012.

17 Safe Standing (Football Stadia) Bill

Order for Second Reading on Friday 17 June, read and discharged.

Bill to be read a second time on Friday 21 October.

General Committees: Reports

18 Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill Committee

Mr Roger Gale (Chair) reported the Bill without Amendment.

Bill, not amended, to be considered on Friday 10 June.

19 Second Delegated Legislation Committee

Mr Mike Weir (Chair) reported the draft Charities (Pre-consolidation Amendments) Order 2011.

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).

20 First Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Time Limit for Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and the draft Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Rights of Appeal) Regulations 2011)

Members: Gavin Barwell, Nick de Bois, Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson, Mr Tobias Ellwood, Mr Mark Francois, Barry Gardiner, Stephen Gilbert, John Hemming, Mr Kevan Jones, Jonathan Lord, Karen Lumley, Mr Nick Raynsford, Mr Andrew Robathan, Joan Ruddock, Mr Andrew Smith, David Tredinnick, Dr Alan Whitehead and David Wright.

21 Second Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Patents County Court (Financial Limits) Order 2011)

Members: Tom Blenkinsop, Nic Dakin, Mr Edward Davey, Margot James, Joseph Johnson, Gregg McClymont, Jim McGovern, Mr Gordon Marsden, James Morris, David Mowat, Mr Brooks Newmark, Mark Reckless, David Simpson, Mel Stride, Jo Swinson, Justin Tomlinson, Mr Dave Watts and Mike Wood.

22 Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Trading Fund Order 2011)

Members: Mr David Blunkett, Andrew Bridgen, Dan Byles, Alun Cairns, Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson, Mr Tobias Ellwood, Mr Mark Francois, Stephen Gilbert, Mrs Helen Grant, Mr Mike Hancock, Simon Hart, Julie Hilling, Mr Kevan Jones, Peter Luff, Ian Mearns, Alun Michael, Mr David Winnick and David Wright.

23 Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011)

Members: Debbie Abrahams, Ann Coffey, Mr Jim Cunningham, Richard Fuller, Pat Glass, Mr Robert Goodwill, John Hemming, Mr Mark Hoban, Kwasi Kwarteng, Jeremy Lefroy, Chris Leslie, Gregg McClymont, Meg Munn, Simon Reevell, Alok Sharma, Sir Robert Smith, John Stevenson and Sammy Wilson.

24 Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Nitrous Oxide) Regulations 2011)

Members: Mr David Anderson, Gregory Barker, Luciana Berger, Stella Creasy, Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson, George Freeman, Mike Gapes, Stephen Gilbert, Mr Sam Gyimah, Kate Hoey, Brandon Lewis, John McDonnell, Mr Matthew Offord, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mr Virendra Sharma, Sir Robert Smith, Rory Stewart and Mr Shailesh Vara.

25 Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft African Development Bank (Further Payments to Capital Stock) Order 2011, the draft African Development Bank (Twelfth Replenishment of the African Development Fund) Order 2011 and the draft African Development Fund (Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative) (Amendment) Order 2011)

Members: Malcolm Bruce, Mr Gregory Campbell, Tracey Crouch, Mrs Mary Glindon, John Hemming, Gordon Henderson, Mark Hendrick, Sir Gerald Kaufman, Mark Lazarowicz, Alison McGovern, Stephen McPartland, Patrick Mercer, Austin Mitchell, Mr Stephen O’Brien, Neil Parish, Mr Dennis Skinner, Miss Chloe Smith and Julian Smith.

26 European Committee C in respect of European Union Documents No. 5064/11 and Addendum, Commission report on Member States’ Implementation of the Working Time Directive and No. 5068/11 and Addendum, Commission Communication on Reviewing the Working Time Directive

Members: Michael Connarty, Mr Edward Davey, Nia Griffith, Chris Heaton-Harris, Kelvin Hopkins, Dan Jarvis, Simon Kirby, Gregg McClymont, Nicky Morgan, David Simpson, Julian Sturdy, Heather Wheeler and Jeremy Wright.

European Union Documents Referred

27 European Committee C

European Union Document No. 7226/11, relating to the Commission Communication: An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child.

Reports from Select Committees

28 Business, Innovation and Skills Committee

The Plan for Growth: Evidence, to be printed (HC 945-i) (Mr Adrian Bailey).

29 Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Football Governance: Written evidence, to be published (Mr John Whittingdale).

30 Defence Committee

(1) Operations in Libya: Evidence, to be printed (HC 950-i);

(2) The Strategic Defence and Security Review and the National Security Strategy: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr James Arbuthnot).

31 Draft Defamation Bill (Joint Committee on)

Draft Defamation Bill: Evidence, to be printed (HC 930-i) (Sir Peter Bottomley).

32 Education Committee

(1) English Baccalaureate: Evidence, to be printed (HC 851-ii);

(2) The Wolf Review of Vocational Education: Evidence, to be printed (HC 925-i)

(Mr Graham Stuart).

33 Energy and Climate Change Committee

Electricity Market Reform: Fourth Report, with written evidence, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 25 January, 2 and 15 February and 1 and 15 March (HC 742) (Mr Tim Yeo).

34 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

(1) Farming in the Uplands: Government response to the Committee’s Third Report: Fourth Special Report, to be printed (HC 953);

(2) EU proposals for the dairy industry:

(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 952-i);

(ii) Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Defra Main Estimate 2011–12: Written evidence, to be published;

(4) Domestic fisheries management-Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy: Written evidence, to be published

(Miss Anne McIntosh).

35 Environmental Audit Committee

(1) Budget 2011 and environmental taxes:

(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 878-i);

(ii) Written evidence, to be published;

(2) The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Sustainable food: Written evidence, to be published

(Joan Walley).

36 European Scrutiny Committee

(1) Twenty-sixth Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 428-xxiv);

(2) Parliamentary Scrutiny of Opt-in Decisions: Evidence, to be printed (HC 955-i);

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

(Mr William Cash).

37 Foreign Affairs Committee

(1) The Role of the FCO in UK Government: Seventh Report, with written evidence, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 24 November, 8 and 15 December 2010, 12 and 19 January, 2 and 9 February, 9 March and 27 April (HC 665);

(2) UK-Brazil Relations: Evidence, to be printed (HC 949-i)

(Richard Ottaway).

38 International Development Committee

(1) Humanitarian Response to the Pakistan Floods: Seventh Report, with Appendices, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 615);

(2) The 2010 Millennium Development Goals Review Summit: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2010–12: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 959);

(3) Infrastructure and Development: Evidence, to be printed (HC 848-ii)

(Malcolm Bruce).

39 Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

(1) "Rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy": Evidence, to be printed (HC 951-i);

(2) Possible implications for Northern Ireland of the Daylight Saving Bill: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Northern Ireland as an Enterprise Zone: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Laurence Robertson).

40 Procedure Committee

Lay membership of the Committee on Standards and Privileges:

(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 960-i);

(2) Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Greg Knight).

41 Science and Technology Committee

(1) The Reviews into the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit’s E-mails: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2010–12: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 496);

(2) Forensic Science Service:

(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 855-iii);

(ii) Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Peer review: Written evidence, to be published;

(4) Astronomy and Particle Physics: Written evidence, to be published

(Andrew Miller).

42 Treasury Committee

(1) Finance (No. 3) Bill 2010–11: Eleventh Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 497);

(2) Financial Regulation: a preliminary consideration of the Government’s proposals: Government Response to the Seventh Report from the Committee: Fifth Special Report, to be printed (HC 958)

(Mr Andrew Tyrie).

43 Welsh Affairs Committee

S4C: Fifth Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 23 and 30 November and 14 December 2010 (HC 614-I and -II) (David T.C. Davies).

44 Work and Pensions Committee

(1) Work programme: providers and contracting arrangements: Fourth Report, with written evidence, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 13 December 2010 (HC 718-I and -II);

(2) Department for Work and Pensions Spring Supplementary Estimate 2010–11: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Migration from Incapacity Benefit to Employment and Support Allowance: Written evidence, to be published

(Dame Anne Begg).

[WH, No. 94]

Sitting in Westminster Hall

The sitting began at 9.30 am.

Adjournment

Subjects:

Political situation in Zimbabwe (Kate Hoey).

Irish communities in Britain (Chris Ruane).

Government policy on railway expansion and smaller local schemes (John Pugh).

Government policy on brown signs (Julian Smith).

Coroners and the recording of suicides (Mrs Madeleine Moon).

Resolved, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(Angela Watkinson.)

Adjourned at 5.07 pm until tomorrow.

APPENDIX

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1 Electricity

Electricity (Individual Generation Exemptions) Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1150), dated 26 April 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Chris Huhne).

2 Income Tax

Skipton Fund Limited (Application of Sections 731, 733 and 734) of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005) Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1157), dated 26 April 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Gauke).

3 Justices of the Peace

Local Justice Areas Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1168), dated 26 April 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kenneth Clarke).

4 Mediation

Cross-Border Mediation (EU Directive) Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1133), dated 18 April 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kenneth Clarke).

5 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge

(1) Statute, dated 15 December 2010, made by the Governing Body of Green Templeton College in the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the College (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Vince Cable); and

(2) Statute, dated 17 June 2009, made by the Governing Body of Green Templeton College in the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the College (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Vince Cable).

Other Papers:

6 Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland)

Account of the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund for 2009–10, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 680) (Clerk of the House).