The role and future of the Commonwealth - Foreign Affairs Committee Contents


Formal Minutes


Thursday 1 November 2012

Members present:

Richard Ottaway, in the Chair
Mr John Baron

Mike Gapes

Andrew Rosindell

Mr Frank Roy

Draft Report (The role and future of the Commonwealth), proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.

Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraph 1 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 2 to 10 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 11 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 12 to 21 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 22 read.

Amendment proposed, in lines 4 and 5, to leave out the words "and that the Commonwealth's best years as a promoter of democracy and human rights in its own member states were behind it".—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 2

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Whereupon the Chair declared himself with the Noes.

Amendment accordingly negatived.

Paragraph agreed to.

Paragraphs 23 to 29 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 30 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 31 to 34 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 35 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 3, to insert after "for" the words "and what it means to be a Commonwealth Citizen in 2012".—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made:—Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Paragraph agreed to.

Paragraphs 36 to 42 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 43 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 44 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 45 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 4, to leave out "invisible" and insert "inactive".—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 3

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Mr Frank Roy

Noes, 1

Mike Gapes

Amendment accordingly agreed to.

An Amendment made.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraphs 46 to 51 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 52 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 53 to 60 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 61 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 62 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 63 to 70 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 71 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 72 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 73 to 75 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 76 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 77 to 83 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 84 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 85 to 91 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 92 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 3, to add after "markets" the words ", but the potential for this to develop in the years ahead is enormous and should be given a high priority by H.M. Government".(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 2

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Whereupon the Chair declared himself with the Ayes.

Amendment accordingly agreed to.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraphs 93 to 97 agreed to.

Paragraph 98 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 99 to 106 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 107 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 108 to 116 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 117 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 118 to 121 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 122 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 5, to insert after "Government" the words "should actively encourage nations with a historical connection to the British Isles to apply for membership of the Commonwealth but".—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 2

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Whereupon the Chair declared himself with the Noes.

Amendment accordingly negatived.

Paragraph agreed to.

Paragraph 123 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 124 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 3, to leave out after "Sark" the words "and the islands of Herm, Jethou and Lihou. The island of Brecqhou is part of Sark."—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 3

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Mr Frank Roy

Noes, 1

Mike Gapes

Amendment accordingly agreed to.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraph 125 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 126 to 141 read and agreed to.

Paragraphs 142 and 143 postponed.

Paragraph 144 read.

Amendment proposed, in line 8, at end, to add "Despite objections that may exist, the U.K. has a duty to the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies and therefore we recommend that H.M. Government should actively promote the creation of a new 'Territory Status' of members of the Commonwealth. This status should be open to all British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies in addition to the territories of the other Commonwealth Realms."—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 1

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Amendment accordingly negatived.

Paragraph agreed to.

Paragraphs 145 and 146 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 147 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 148 read and agreed to.

Postponed paragraphs 142 and 143 read.

Motion made, to leave out paragraphs 142 and 143 and insert the following new paragraph:

"142. We conclude that there are substantial arguments in favour of stronger connections between the Commonwealth and the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, all of which should be given the opportunity to become part of the Commonwealth family. We note the apparently increasing interest in the Crown Dependencies in stronger connections with the Commonwealth, in some cases including associate status. We are currently conducting an inquiry into the foreign policy implications of and for a separate Scotland, and some related issues will be considered during the course of that inquiry."(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 1

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Amendment accordingly negatived.

Paragraphs 142 and 143 agreed to.

Summary read.

Amendments made.

Amendment proposed, to leave out from "fundamental" in line 35 to "We" in line 1, and to insert "change in the UK's relationship with the European Union, and an assessment of the potential benefits and disadvantages should take place".—(Andrew Rosindell.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 2

Mr John Baron

Andrew Rosindell

Noes, 2

Mike Gapes

Mr Frank Roy

Whereupon the Chair declared himself with the Noes.

Amendment accordingly negatived.

Summary, as amended, agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report, as amended, be the Fourth Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.

Written evidence was ordered to be reported to the House for printing with the Report, together with written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 31 January 2012, in the previous Session of Parliament.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 6 November at 1.45 pm.



 
previous page contents next page


© Parliamentary copyright 2012
Prepared 15 November 2012