House of Commons
Session 2010-12
House of Commons Votes and Proceedings
Tuesday
7th February 2012
No. 260
Tuesday 7 February 2012
The House met at 2.30 pm.
PRAYERS.
1 Private Bills [Lords]: London Local Authorities Bill [Lords]: Further consideration of the Bill, as amended
Ordered, That the Bill be further considered on Tuesday 21 February at 7.00 pm.
2 Private Bills [Lords]: London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords]: Second Reading
Ordered, That the Bill be read a second time on Tuesday 21 February.
3 Private Bills [Lords]: Transport for London (Supplemental Toll Provisions) Bill [Lords]: Second Reading
Ordered, That the Bill be read a second time on Tuesday 21 February.
4 Questions to (1) the Deputy Prime Minister
(2) the Attorney General
5 Urgent Question: Abu Qatada (Secretary Theresa May)
6 Offshore Gambling (Licensing): 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 amend the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate remote gambling on a point of consumption basis; to require all operators selling into the British market, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, to hold a Gambling Commission licence to enable them to undertake transactions with British consumers and to advertise in the United Kingdom; to provide that all relevant operators contribute to the Horserace Betting Levy; and for connected purposes.-(Matthew Hancock.)
Motion opposed (Standing Order No. 23(1)).
Question put, and agreed to.
Ordered, That Matthew Hancock, Nicholas Soames, Mr Gerry Sutcliffe, Mr Don Foster, Sandra Osborne, Ian Swales, Miss Anne McIntosh, Brandon Lewis, George Freeman, Simon Hart, John Glen and Mr Sam Gyimah present the Bill.
Matthew Hancock accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 30 March, and to be printed (Bill 304).
7 Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (Un-allotted half day)
Responsibility and reform in British banks
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House notes with concern that the recent Bank of England publication, Trends in Lending, shows that net lending to businesses has fallen in nine out of the last 12 months and by more than £10 billion in the last year; further notes that a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills report published on 2 February 2012 states that the stock of lending to small and medium-sized enterprises peaked in 2009 and in November 2011 declined by 6.1 per cent. compared to November 2010, whilst banks were frequently setting bonuses for their senior executives which were too large; believes that bank executive remuneration should be related to performance and that banks either directly or indirectly supported by the taxpayer must recognise that the taxpayer expects very large bonuses only to be paid to reflect genuine exceptional performance; notes with concern that the Government has not given due consideration to repeating the bankers’ bonus tax, in addition to the bank levy, to pay for 100,000 jobs for young people; calls on the Government to increase transparency, accountability and responsibility in the setting of pay in the banking sector, including through the immediate implementation of the Walker Review on corporate governance, and the placing of an employee representative on the remuneration committees of company boards; and further calls on the Government to reform the banking sector so that it better supports businesses and provides the credit they need to create jobs and growth.-(Mr Chuka Umunna.)
Ms Rosie Winterton 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. 461.
Ayes: 244 (Tellers: Susan Elan Jones, Yvonne Fovargue).
Noes: 295 (Tellers: Stephen Crabb, Jenny Willott).
Question accordingly negatived.
8 Backbench Business (Un-allotted half day)
Metal Theft
Resolved, That this House notes that metal theft is becoming a serious issue for the UK; welcomes the Government’s announcement on introducing a cashless system and higher penalties; is concerned that the comprehensive package of measures which is needed to address this issue is not being introduced at the same time; believes that to effectively stamp out metal theft there needs to be a radical change in how the scrap metal industry is regulated; and calls on the Government to introduce a number of additional measures as a matter of urgency, including a robust licensing scheme for scrap metal dealers to replace the present registration scheme, a licence fee to fund the regulation of the licence, greater police powers to close unscrupulous scrap metal dealers in line with alcohol licensing, police authority to search and investigate all premises owned and operated by scrap metal dealers, use of photo identification and CCTV to identify sellers of scrap metal, and their vehicles, vehicle badging for mobile scrap metal dealers, and magistrates’ powers to add licence restrictions and prevent closed yards from re-opening.-(Graham Jones.)
9 Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft City of Coventry (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, which was laid before this House on 5 December, be approved.-(Angela Watkinson.)
The Deputy Speaker’s opinion as to the decision of the Question was challenged.
Division deferred until tomorrow (Standing Order No. 41A).
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft City of Wakefield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, which was laid before this House on 5 December, be approved.-(Angela Watkinson.)
The Deputy Speaker’s opinion as to the decision of the Question was challenged.
Division deferred until tomorrow (Standing Order No. 41A).
10 EU accounting requirements
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)), That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 16250/11 and Addenda 1 to 4, relating to a draft Directive on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings; supports the Government’s aim to reduce administrative burdens, particularly on small companies, through the harmonisation and simplification of requirements, including those for micro-businesses; and, as an aid to this, supports, within the scope of the proposal, increasing relevant thresholds whilst resisting harmonisation in areas that will increase administrative burdens on small business; and further supports, within the scope of the proposal, the Government’s aim of aligning the wording of new requirements for transparency in the reporting of payments to governments by companies engaged in the extractives sector (oil, gas and mining industries) with similar requirements which apply in the United States of America.-(Angela Watkinson.)
Question agreed to.
11 Business of the House (21 February)
Ordered, That, at the sitting on Tuesday 21 February, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 20 (Time for taking private business), the Private Business set down by the Chairman of Ways and Means shall be entered upon (whether before, at or after 7.00 pm) and may then be proceeded with, though opposed, for three hours, after which the Speaker shall interrupt the business.-(Angela Watkinson.)
12 Public Petitions
A Public Petition from residents of Hull relating to Police cuts (Humberside) was presented and read by Diana Johnson.
13 Adjournment
Subject: Asbestos in schools (Ian Lavery).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.-(Mr Brooks Newmark.)
Adjourned at 10.32 pm until tomorrow.
_________________
Other proceedings
Reports from Select Committees
14 Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on 23 February in Westminster Hall, with Annex containing a transcript of representations made on 7 February, to be published (Natascha Engel).
15 Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
(1) The Insolvency Service: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1770-ii);
(2) Export Credits Guarantee Department Estimates memorandum: Written evidence, to be published
(Mr Adrian Bailey).
16 Business, Innovation and Skills, Defence, Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees
Strategic Export Controls: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1697-ii) (Sir John Stanley).
17 Culture, Media and Sport Committee
(1) Library closures:
(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1815-i);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published;
(2) London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Channel 4 Annual Report: Written evidence, to be published
(Mr John Whittingdale).
18 Defence Committee
The Military Covenant In Action? Part 2: Accommodation:
(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1741-i);
(2) Written evidence, to be published
(Mr James Arbuthnot).
19 Energy and Climate Change Committee
(1) The future of marine renewables in the UK: Eleventh 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 11 October, 15 November and 13 December 2011 (HC 1624);
(2) Fuel poverty in the private rented and off-grid sectors: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1744-ii);
(3) National Audit Office briefing on Ofgem Annual Report and Accounts 2010–11: Written evidence, to be published
(Mr Tim Yeo).
20 European Scrutiny Committee
Possibilities for reinforcing the eurozone following the December European Council:
(1) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1817-i);
(2) Written evidence, to be published
(Mr William Cash).
21 Health Committee
PIP Breast implants and regulation of cosmetic interventions: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1816i) (Mr Stephen Dorrell).
22 Home Affairs Committee
Private Investigators: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1800-i) (Keith Vaz).
23 Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
The Justice and Security Green Paper: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1777-iii) (Dr Hywel Francis).
24 International Development Committee
EU Development Assistance: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1680-ii) (Malcolm Bruce).
25 Justice Committee
(1) Presumption of death: Twelfth Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report and written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 1 and 22 November 2011 (HC 1663);
(2) The budget and structure of the MoJ:
(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1679-iv);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000: Written evidence, to be published
(Sir Alan Beith).
26 Transport Committee
(1) Counting the cost: financial scrutiny of the Department for Transport:
(i) Fifteenth Report, with written evidence, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 1560);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published;
(2) Road Safety Framework:
(i) Evidence, to be printed (HC 1738-iii);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Reform: Written evidence, to be published
(Mrs Louise Ellman).
27 Welsh Affairs Committee
Support for Armed Forces Veterans in Wales: Evidence, to be printed (HC 1812-i) (David T.C. Davies).
[WH, No. 172]
Sitting in Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 9.30 am.
Adjournment
Subjects:
Intellectual property and its contribution to economic growth (Pete Wishart).
Government’s alcohol strategy (Dr Sarah Wollaston).
Operation of Wirral Borough Council (Mr Frank Field).
Fitting of safety stop valves on fishing vessels (Sheryll Murray).
Role of Government in supporting economic development in Barnsley (Angela Smith).
Motion made and Question proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(Bill Wiggin.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(11)).
Adjourned at 2.00 pm until tomorrow.
APPENDIX
Papers presented or laid upon the Table:
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution:
1 Companies
Draft Companies Act 2006 (Amendment of Part 23) (Investment Companies) Regulations 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Vince Cable).
2 Pensions
(1) Draft Automatic Enrolment (Offshore Employment) Order 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Iain Duncan Smith); and
(2) draft Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Iain Duncan Smith).
Papers subject to Negative Resolution:
3 Corporation Tax
Research and Development (Qualifying Bodies) (Tax) Order 2012 (S.I., 2012, No. 286), dated 6 February 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Gauke).
4 Environmental Protection
(1) Contaminated Land (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I., 2012, No. 263), dated 2 February 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Caroline Spelman);
(2) Draft Statutory Guidance on Contaminated Land (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Caroline Spelman); and
(3) Draft Statutory Guidance on Radioactive Contaminated Land (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Edward Davey).
5 London Government
Greater London Authority (Limitation of Salaries) (Amendment) Order 2012 (S.I., 2012, No. 234), dated 1 February 2012 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Eric Pickles).
6 Saudi Arabia (No. 1, 2012)
Agreement, done at Riyadh on 2 January 2012, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Cm. 8291) (Secretary William Hague).
Other Papers:
7 Culture, Media and Sport
The Digital Switchover Help Scheme: A Scheme Agreement Between Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and the British Broadcasting Corporation: Revised Agreement (by Command) (Cm. 8286) (Secretary Jeremy Hunt).
8 Health
Government Response to the Twelfth Report from the Health Committee, Session 2010–12, on Public Health (by Command) (Cm. 8290) (Mr Secretary Lansley).
9 National Audit
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Ministry of Defence: Managing change in the Defence workforce (by Act); to be printed (HC 1791) (Clerk of the House).