House of Commons

Session 2010-12

House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Wednesday
23rd November 2011

No. 226

Wednesday 23 November 2011

The House met at 11.30 am.

PRAYERS.

1 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Wales

(2) the Prime Minister

2 Statement: Annual Energy Statement (Secretary Chris Huhne)

3 Members of Parliament (Change of Political Party Affiliation): 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 provide that any Member of Parliament who changes voluntarily his or her political party affiliation described on the ballot paper at the time he or she was elected is deemed to have vacated his or her seat; and for connected purposes.-(Chris Skidmore.)

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

Question put, and agreed to.

Ordered, That Chris Skidmore, Dr Sarah Wollaston, Mr Robert Buckland, Zac Goldsmith, Mr Aidan Burley, Conor Burns, Gavin Williamson, Bob Stewart, John Healey, Mr Philip Hollobone, Mr Tom Clarke and Steve Brine present the Bill.

Chris Skidmore accordingly presented the Bill.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 16 March 2012, and to be printed (Bill 252).

4 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (Un-allotted day)

(1) Support for business to encourage economic growth and employment

Motion made and Question put, That this House notes with concern that UK economic growth is flatlining and was choked off well before the recent Eurozone crisis, that youth unemployment is now more than one million and that Government borrowing is therefore expected to be £46 billion higher than forecast over the Parliament; further notes with regret that the Government has failed to deliver a credible growth plan, is undermining critical industries in which the UK must compete, is failing to use strategically procurement and other tools to drive growth and innovation, and is holding back regional growth with its flagship projects mired in inertia and with most business still waiting for Regional Growth Fund money seven months after the recipients were announced; therefore calls on the Government to deliver a growth plan that provides an immediate boost to the economy to increase demand and growth, including a £2 billion tax on bank bonuses to fund 100,000 jobs for young people and build 25,000 more affordable homes; and further calls on the Government to bring forward long-term investment projects to get people back to work, to reverse the damaging VAT rise of January 2011 for a temporary period giving families a £450 boost and providing immediate help for the UK’s high streets, to provide a one-year cut in VAT to five per cent. on home improvements, repairs and maintenance to help home owners and small businesses, and to provide a one-year national insurance tax break for small firms to help them grow and create jobs.-(Mr Chuka Umunna.)

The House divided.

Division No. 399.

Ayes: 236 (Tellers: Jonathan Ashworth, Phil Wilson).

Noes: 304 (Tellers: Jeremy Wright, Mr Philip Dunne).

Question accordingly negatived.

5 Deferred Divisions

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

Schengen Governance,-That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 14357/11, a Commission Communication: Schengen governance-strengthening the area without internal border control, No. 14359/11, a Draft Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No. 562/2006 in order to provide for common rules on the temporary reintroduction of border control at internal borders in exceptional circumstances, No. 16664/10, a Draft Regulation on the establishment of an evaluation mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen acquis, No. 14358/11, an amended proposal for a Regulation on the establishment of an evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen acquis, and No. 14142/10, a Draft Council Decision on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republics of Bulgaria and Romania; and supports the Government’s approach for stronger governance of the Schengen area whilst safeguarding the Member States’ primary responsibility in matters of internal security, securing an effective evaluation and monitoring mechanism which includes the UK in respect of Schengen provisions in which the UK takes part, and supporting the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area as they have met the criteria and standards required of them under the terms of their Acts of Accession.

Division No. 398.

Ayes: 461.

Noes: 23.

Question accordingly agreed to.

6 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (Un-allotted day) (resumed)

(2) Government cuts to the feed-in tariff for solar power

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House believes that solar power gives families, community organisations and businesses greater control over their energy bills and will help the UK meet its renewable energy targets and reduce carbon emissions; notes that since the creation of the feed-in tariffs scheme under the last administration, introduced with cross-party support, nearly 90,000 solar installations have been completed in the UK and the number of people employed in the solar industry has increased from 3,000 to 25,000; believes that the Government’s cuts to feed-in tariffs go too far, too fast, will hit jobs and growth in the solar industry, undermine confidence in the Green Deal and deter investment in the wider green economy; regrets that the cuts to feed-in tariffs were announced with just six weeks’ notice and come into force before the consultation has even finished; further regrets that the Government’s plans would exclude nearly nine out of ten households from installing solar power under the feed-in tariffs scheme, will disproportionately hit social housing and community projects, and could affect thousands of households which have already installed solar power; and calls on the Government urgently to withdraw the 12 December 2011 deadline and bring forward more measured proposals that guarantee the continued growth of the solar industry, put feed-in tariffs on a sustainable footing and are fair to the public.-(Caroline Flint.)

Amendment moved, in line 1, to leave out from ‘House’ to the end of the Question and add ‘notes that the previous administration only introduced a feed-in tariffs scheme following pressure from Liberal Democrat and Conservative hon. Members; further notes that during the period up to October 2011 over 120,000 UK solar installations had been completed; further notes that this is three times the deployment expected by the previous administration; recognises that no commercial-scale solar PV schemes were expected by the previous administration; further notes that the cost of PV panels has fallen by at least 30 per cent. since the current tariff was introduced and that the previous administration set the tariff levels for solar PV to deliver a five per cent. index-linked return; regrets that the previous administration did not draw on the experiences of Germany in setting a sustainable and predictable digression of tariffs; further notes that failing to act could add £26 to the domestic electricity bill of all consumers in 2020 including the 5.5 million people left in fuel poverty by the previous administration; further regrets that the previous administration did not introduce a community tariff; believes that the Government is right to bring the tariff levels back in line with the rates of return envisaged; acknowledges that it is right to link support under feed-in tariffs to energy efficiency and the Green Deal ensuring the most cost-effective carbon abatement measures are introduced first; supports a consultation on the introduction of a community tariff; and further believes that the Government is putting feed-in tariffs on a long-term, fair and sustainable footing.’.-(Secretary Chris Huhne.)

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

Question put, That the Question be now put.

Question agreed to.

Question put, That the original words stand part of the Question (Standing Order No. 31(2) and Order, 14 November).

The House divided.

Division No. 400.

Ayes: 226 (Tellers: Nic Dakin, Graham Jones).

Noes: 297 (Tellers: Norman Lamb, Jeremy Wright).

Question accordingly negatived.

Question, That the proposed words be there added, put forthwith (Standing Order No. 31(2) and Order, 14 November).

The House divided.

Division No. 401.

Ayes: 292 (Tellers: Mr Shailesh Vara, Norman Lamb).

Noes: 220 (Tellers: Graham Jones, Nic Dakin).

Question accordingly agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker declared the Main Question, as amended, agreed to (Standing Order No. 31(2) and Order, 14 November).

Resolved, That this House notes that the previous administration only introduced a feed-in tariffs scheme following pressure from Liberal Democrat and Conservative hon. Members; further notes that during the period up to October 2011 over 120,000 UK solar installations had been completed; further notes that this is three times the deployment expected by the previous administration; recognises that no commercial-scale solar PV schemes were expected by the previous administration; further notes that the cost of PV panels has fallen by at least 30 per cent. since the current tariff was introduced and that the previous administration set the tariff levels for solar PV to deliver a five per cent. index-linked return; regrets that the previous administration did not draw on the experiences of Germany in setting a sustainable and predictable digression of tariffs; further notes that failing to act could add £26 to the domestic electricity bill of all consumers in 2020 including the 5.5 million people left in fuel poverty by the previous administration; further regrets that the previous administration did not introduce a community tariff; believes that the Government is right to bring the tariff levels back in line with the rates of return envisaged; acknowledges that it is right to link support under feed-in tariffs to energy efficiency and the Green Deal ensuring the most cost-effective carbon abatement measures are introduced first; supports a consultation on the introduction of a community tariff; and further believes that the Government is putting feed-in tariffs on a long-term, fair and sustainable footing.

7 Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Community Infrastructure Levy Functions) Order 2011, which was laid before this House on 7 September, be approved.-(Bill Wiggin.)

Question agreed to.

8 Adjournment

Subject: Clinical and financial case for bowel cancer screening at 50 (Guy Opperman).

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

Adjourned at 7.56 pm until tomorrow.

_________________

Other proceedings

Lords Messages

9 Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill [Lords]

The Lords have passed a Bill to amend the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; and for connected purposes; to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

10 Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill

The Lords agree to the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

Printing of Lords Amendments

11 Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill

Lords Amendments to the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 253) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 253–EN).