House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Monday
23rd May 2011

No. 161

Monday 23 May 2011

The House met at 2.30 pm.

PRAYERS.

1 Rosemary Nelson 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 23 May 2011, of the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry.-(James Duddridge.)

2 Questions to the Secretary of State for Education

3 Urgent Question: Granting and enforcement of privacy injunctions (Attorney General)

4 Statement: Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Report (Secretary Owen Paterson)

5 Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)

Secretary Theresa May, supported by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Kenneth Clarke, Danny Alexander and James Brokenshire, presented a Bill to abolish control orders and make provision for the imposition of terrorism prevention and investigation measures.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 193) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 193–EN).

6 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (16th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))

(1) Sentencing

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House opposes changing the maximum discount for custodial sentences to up to 50 per cent. for those who plead guilty.-(Sadiq Khan.)

Amendment moved, in line 1, to leave out from ‘House’ to the end of the Question and add ‘deplores the previous Government’s failure to tackle the national scandal of reoffending and its mismanagement of the justice system; notes that discounts for guilty pleas have been an established principle of common law for decades, and that they can speed up justice and spare victims and witnesses the ordeal of waiting and preparing to give evidence at trial; and welcomes the Government’s intention to overhaul sentencing to deliver more effective punishment for offenders and increased reparation for victims and to reform offenders to cut crime.’.-(Secretary Kenneth Clarke.)

Question put, That the original words stand part of the Question (Standing Order No. 31(2)).

The House divided.

Division No. 284.

Ayes: 221 (Tellers: Mark Hendrick, Phil Wilson).

Noes: 303 (Tellers: Mr Philip Dunne, Norman Lamb).

Question accordingly negatived.

Question, That the proposed words be there added, put forthwith (Standing Order No. 31).

Question agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker declared the Main Question, as amended, agreed to (Standing Order No. 31(2)).

Resolved, That this House deplores the previous Government’s failure to tackle the national scandal of reoffending and its mismanagement of the justice system; notes that discounts for guilty pleas have been an established principle of common law for decades, and that they can speed up justice and spare victims and witnesses the ordeal of waiting and preparing to give evidence at trial; and welcomes the Government’s intention to overhaul sentencing to deliver more effective punishment for offenders and increased reparation for victims and to reform offenders to cut crime.

(2) Policing and Crime

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House opposes the Government’s cuts leading to over 12,000 fewer police officers across England and Wales; believes that the 20 per cent. cut to central Government funding to the police goes far beyond the assessment of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary of efficiency savings that are possible without affecting frontline services; calls on the Government to withdraw plans for American-style police and crime commissioners for which there will be no checks or balances; and believes that the Government is making it harder for the police to cut crime by weakening the National DNA Database, leading to the loss of 1,000 criminal matches per year; ending anti-social behaviour orders, increasing bureaucracy on CCTV, creating serious loopholes in child protection and failing to develop any cross-Governmental strategy to cut crime.-(Yvette Cooper.)

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. 285.

Ayes: 206 (Tellers: Mr David Anderson, Graham Jones).

Noes: 304 (Tellers: Norman Lamb, Bill Wiggin).

Question accordingly negatived.

7 Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Monetary Penalty Notices and Consents for Interception) Regulations 2011, which were laid before this House on 4 April, be approved.-(Mr Robert Goodwill.)

Question agreed to.

8 Changes to membership of select committees

(1) Ordered, That Mike Freer be discharged from the Communities and Local Government Committee and Heather Wheeler be added.-(Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)

(2) Ordered, That Dr Julian Huppert be discharged from the Joint Committee on Human Rights and Mike Crockart be added.-(Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)

9 Adjournment

Subject: Standards of governance amongst FTSE 100 companies (Eric Joyce).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Mr Robert Goodwill.)

Adjourned at 10.42 pm until tomorrow.

_________________

Other proceedings

Lords Messages

10 Draft Bills (Joint Committees on)

The Lords have come to the following resolutions to which they desire the agreement of the Commons:

That, notwithstanding the Resolution of this House of 23 March, it be an instruction to the Joint Committee on the Draft Defamation Bill that it should report on the draft Bill by 31 October 2011; and

That, notwithstanding the Resolution of this House of 8 March, it be an instruction to the Joint Committee on the Draft Detention of Terrorist Suspects (Temporary Extension) Bills that it should report on the draft Bills by 23 June 2011.

General Committees: Reports

11 Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee

Martin Caton (Chair) reported the draft Representation of the People (Electoral Registration Data Schemes) Regulations 2011 and the draft Electoral Registration Data Schemes Order 2011.

12 European Committee B in respect of European Union Document No. 14436/10 and Addenda 1 and 2, relating to attacks against information systems, repealing Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA

Mr David Amess (Chair) reported the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 14436/10 and Addenda 1 and 2, a draft directive on attacks against information systems, repealing Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA; and supports the Government’s aim of working with other Member States to tackle the threat from cyber crime.

13 European Committee C in respect of European Union Document No. 8693/11 and Addenda 1 to 6, relating to a Commission Communication: Towards a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens

Mr Graham Brady (Chair) reported the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 8693/11 and Addenda 1 to 6, relating to a Commission Communication: Towards a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens; and supports the Government’s aims for the proposal, which include ensuring focus on resolving the current EU space programmes, avoiding any pre-judgement of the negotiations on the EU budget from 2014 onwards, and seeking further analysis to demonstrate clear added value in any new EU actions.

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).

14 Finance (No. 3) Bill Committee (except Clauses, 4, 7, 10, 19, 35 and 72)

Additional Chair: Hugh Bayley.

15 Second Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Gender Recognition (Approved Countries and Territories) Order 2011)

Chair: Nadine Dorries.

16 Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011)

Chair: Mr Joe Benton.

17 Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Social Security (Electronic Communications) Order 2011)

Chair: Mrs Anne Main.

18 Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Taxation of Equitable Life (Payments) Order 2011)

Chair: Mr Christopher Chope.

19 European Committee B in respect of European Union Document No. 14436/10 and Addenda 1 and 2, relating to attacks against information systems, repealing Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA

Members: Tom Brake discharged and Mr John Leech nominated in substitution.

20 European Committee C in respect of European Union Document No. 8693/11 and Addenda 1 to 6, relating to the Commission Communication: Towards a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens

Members: Pat Glass discharged and Mr Andrew Smith nominated in substitution.

Reports from Select Committees

21 Communities and Local Government Committee

Regeneration:

(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1014-ii);

(2) Written evidence, to be published

(Clive Betts).

22 Draft Defamation Bill (Joint Committee on)

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

23 Foreign Affairs Committee

The FCO’s human rights work 2010–11: Evidence, to be printed (HC 964-ii) (Richard Ottaway).

24 Justice Committee

The role of the probation service: Evidence, to be printed (HC 519-viii) (Sir Alan Beith).

25 Public Accounts (Committee of)

The National Programme for NHS IT: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1070-i) (Margaret Hodge).

26 Science and Technology Committee

Peer review: Evidence, to be printed (HC 856-iii) (Andrew Miller).

27 Treasury Committee

(1) Accountability of the Bank of England: Evidence, to be printed (HC 874-ii);

(2) The future of cheques: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Financial regulation: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Andrew Tyrie).

APPENDIX

Papers presented and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 20 May 2011 under Standing Order No. 159:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1 Road Traffic

Tractor etc (EC Type-Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1279), dated 16 May 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Philip Hammond).

Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 23 May 2011:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

2 Electronic Communications

Draft Communications Act 2003 (Maximum Penalty for Contravention of Information Requirements) Order 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Jeremy Hunt).

3 Immigration

(1) Draft Immigration (Provision of Physical Data) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Theresa May); and

(2) draft Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Juxtaposed Controls) (Amendment) Order 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Theresa May).

4 Offender Management

Draft Co-operation in Public Protection Arrangements (UK Border Agency) Order 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kenneth Clarke).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

5 Customs

(1) Export Control (Eritrea and Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1296), dated 18 May 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Vince Cable); and

(2) Export Control (Iran) Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1297), dated 18 May 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Vince Cable).

6 Financial Services and Markets

Investment Bank Special Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1301), dated 15 May 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Mark Hoban).

7 Pensions

Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-out) Amendment Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1294), dated 18 May 2011 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Iain Duncan Smith).

Other Papers:

8 Cabinet Office

Giving White Paper (by Command) (Cm. 8084) (Francis Maude).

9 Flood and Water Management

(1) Co-operation and requesting information in flood and coastal erosion risk management: Statutory guidance on the implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 Sections 13(1) and 14 in England (by Act) (Secretary Caroline Spelman); and

(2) Understanding the risks, empowering communities, building resilience: The national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England (by Act) (Secretary Caroline Spelman).

10 Government Trading Funds

Treasury Minute, dated 23 May 2011, relating to the Ordnance Survey Trading Fund (by Act) (Danny Alexander).

11 Isle of Man

Account for 2009–10 of Commissioners of HM Revenue and Customs in Account with the Government of the Isle of Man, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act); to be printed (HC 810) (David Gauke).

12 National Audit

(1) Report and Accounts of the National Audit Office for 2010–11 (by Act); to be printed (HC 1017) (Mr Edward Leigh); and

(2) Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for Communities and Local Government: The Mortgage Rescue Scheme (by Act); to be printed (HC 1030) (Clerk of the House).

13 Police

Code of practice on the management of police pursuits (by Act) (Secretary Theresa May).

14 Rosemary Nelson Inquiry

Report of the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry (pursuant to Order today); to be printed (HC 947) (Secretary Owen Paterson).