House of Commons

House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Monday
16th January 2012

No. 246

Monday 16 January 2012

The House met at 2.30 pm.

PRAYERS.

1 Questions to the Secretary of State for Education

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

(1) Individual voter registration

Motion made and Question put, That this House recognises that according to the Electoral Commission there are currently up to 8.5 million electors missing from the UK electoral register and that the shift to individual registration is the biggest change to electoral matters since the introduction of the universal franchise; notes that there was cross-party support for the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009, which proposed a phased five-year timetable for its introduction with safeguards to protect against a drop in registration levels, but that the Government proposes speeding up the timetable, removing some of these safeguards and eroding the civic duty on registering to vote by not applying the legal obligation to respond to an electoral registration officer’s request for information as exists for the household registration; further notes that, according to the Electoral Commission, if these proposed changes are not implemented properly there could be a reduction in registration of up to 65 per cent. in some areas, potentially leaving over 10 million unregistered voters, and that this would have a negative impact on the list from which jurors are drawn; believes that the 2015 boundary review process risks being discredited as a result of the unregistered millions; and calls on the Government to reconsider its current proposals that will lead to large-scale under-registration.-(Sadiq Khan.)

The House divided.

Division No. 422.

Ayes: 234 (Tellers: Tom Blenkinsop, Phil Wilson).

Noes: 321 (Tellers: Greg Hands, Mark Hunter).

Question accordingly negatived.

(2) Role of the private sector in the NHS

Motion made and Question put, That this House believes there is an important role for the private sector in supporting the delivery of NHS care; welcomes the contribution made by private providers to the delivery of the historic 18-week maximum wait for NHS patients; recognises a need, however, for agreed limits on private sector involvement in the NHS; notes with concern the Government’s plans to open up the NHS as a regulated market, increasing private sector involvement in both commissioning and provision of NHS services; urges the Government to revisit its plans, learning from the recent problems with PIP implants and the private cosmetic surgery industry; believes its plan for a 49 per cent. private income cap for Foundation Trusts, in the context of the hospitals as autonomous business units and a ‘no bail-outs’ culture, signals a fundamental departure from established practice in NHS hospitals; fears that the Government’s plans will lead to longer waiting times, will increase health inequalities and risk putting profits before patients; is concerned that this House has not been given an opportunity to consider such a significant policy change; and calls on the Government to revise significantly downwards its proposed cap on the level of private income that can be generated by NHS hospitals.-(Andy Burnham.)

The House divided.

Division No. 423.

Ayes: 234 (Tellers: Mr David Hamilton, Nic Dakin).

Noes: 321 (Tellers: Greg Hands, Mark Hunter).

Question accordingly negatived.

3 Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 2816), dated 23 November 2011, a copy of which was laid before this House on 25 November, be approved.-(Angela Watkinson.)

Question agreed to.

4 Adjournment

Subject: Government policy on early reading (John Healey).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Angela Watkinson.)

Adjourned at 10.43 pm until tomorrow.

_________________

Other proceedings

General Committees: Reports

5 First Delegated Legislation Committee

Sir Roger Gale (Chair) reported the draft Immigration (Biometric Registration) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

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).

6 Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement) Order 2011)

Members: Nicola Blackwood discharged and John Glen nominated in substitution.

7 Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012)

Members: Andrew Stunell discharged and Jo Swinson nominated in substitution.

8 Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft City of Birmingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012)

Members: Andrew Stunell discharged and Tim Farron nominated in substitution.

9 Eighth Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft City of Bradford (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012)

Members: Greg Clark discharged and Mr Stewart Jackson nominated in substitution.

10 Ninth Delegated Legislation Committee (Policing Protocol Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 2744))

Members: Mrs Eleanor Laing discharged and Dr Thérèse Coffey nominated in substitution.

Reports from Select Committees

11 Administration Committee

(1) Visitor Access and Facilities in the House of Commons: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1556-iv);

(2) Record of the Committee’s discussions at its meeting on 16 January, to be published

(Sir Alan Haselhurst).

12 Communities and Local Government Committee

(1) Community Budgets:

(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1750-i);

(ii) Written evidence, to be published;

(2) Financing of new housing supply: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Park Homes: Written evidence, to be published

(Clive Betts).

13 Draft House of Lords Reform Bill (Joint Committee on)

Draft House of Lords Reform Bill:

(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1313-xiii);

(2) Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Tom Clarke).

14 National Security Strategy (Joint Committee on)

National Security Strategy: Written evidence, to be published (Margaret Beckett).

15 Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee on)

Privacy and Injunctions: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1443-xi) (Mr John Whittingdale).

16 Public Accounts (Committee of)

Reducing costs in the Department for Transport: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1760-i) (Margaret Hodge).

APPENDIX

Paper delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 13 January under Standing Order No. 158:

Other Papers:

1 Communities and Local Government

Government Response to the Sixth Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee, Session 2010–12, on Regeneration (by Command) (Cm. 8264) (Secretary Eric Pickles).

Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 16 January:

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:

2 Dangerous Drugs

Draft Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Theresa May).

3 Education

Draft Schools (Specification and Disposal of Articles) Regulations 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Michael Gove).

4 Local Government

Draft St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield (Boundary Change) Order 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Eric Pickles).

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

5 Agriculture

Agriculture (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2012 (S.I., 2012, No. 66), dated 10 January 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Caroline Spelman).

6 Countryside

Access to the Countryside (Appeals against Works Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I., 2012, No. 67), dated 12 January 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Caroline Spelman).

Other Papers:

7 Communities and Local Government

Government Response to the Fifth Report from the Communities and Local Government Committee, Session 2010-12, on Localisation issues in welfare reform (by Command) (Cm. 8272) (Secretary Eric Pickles).

8 Police

Financial Management Code of Practice for the Police Service of England and Wales (by Act) (Secretary Theresa May).

Prepared 2nd February 2015