House of Commons

Votes and Proceedings
Monday 16 March 2020

No. 41

The House met at 2.30 pm.

Prayers

1Royal Assent

The Speaker reported that the Queen had signified Royal Assent to the following Acts under the Royal Assent Act 1967:

Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2020

NHS Funding Act 2020

Church of England Miscellaneous Provisions Measure 2020

2Speaker's Statement: Coronavirus: COVID-19 (arrangements within Parliament)

3Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

4Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make certain offences, including malicious wounding, grievous or actual bodily harm and common assault, aggravated when perpetrated against a retail worker in the course of their employment; to make provision about the sentencing of persons convicted of such aggravated offences; and for connected purposes;

That Alex Norris, Chris Elmore, Grahame Morris, Gareth Thomas, Alison Thewliss, Louise Haigh, Jessica Morden, Jeff Smith, Preet Kaur Gill, Jim McMahon, Mr William Wragg and Philip Davies present the Bill.

Alex Norris accordingly presented the Bill.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 24 April, and to be printed (Bill 112).

5Ways and Means: Income tax (charge)

Debate resumed (Order, 12 March).

Question again proposed, That income tax is charged for the tax year 2020–21.

And it is declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution should have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1968.

The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).

At 6.00 pm the proceedings were interrupted.

6Statement: Coronavirus: COVID-19 update (Secretary Matt Hancock)

7Ways and Means: Income tax (charge) (resumed)

Question again proposed, That income tax is charged for the tax year 2020–21.

And it is declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution should have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1968.

At 10:00 pm, the Speaker interrupted the debate.

Debate to be resumed tomorrow.

8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval

(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Gambling Act 2005 (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2020, which was laid before this House on 20 January, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 129), dated 10 February 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 10 February, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Immigration (Citizens' Rights Appeals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 61), dated 27 January 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 30 January, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(4) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Civil Liability (Information Requirements) and Risk Transformation (Amendment) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.— (David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(5) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2020, which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(6) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Judicial Pensions and Fee-Paid Judges’ Pension Schemes (Contributions) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 20 January, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

(7) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Justices of the Peace and Authorised Court and Tribunal Staff (Costs) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.—(David Rutley.)

Question agreed to.

9Speaker's Statement: Coronavirus: COVID-19 (further arrangements within Parliament)

10Adjournment

Subject: Cavity wall insulation complaints (Chris Elmore)

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(David Rutley.)

House adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 9(7)).

Adjourned at 10.32 pm until tomorrow.

Other Proceedings

General Committees: Reports

11First Delegated Legislation Committee

Sir Graham Brady (Chair) reported the draft Grants to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2020.

12Second Delegated Legislation Committee

Ms Karen Buck (Chair) reported the draft Crown Court (Recording and Broadcasting) Order 2020.

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).

13Sentencing (Pre-Consolidation Amendments) Bill [Lords] (Law Commission) Second Reading Committee

Members: Ms Karen Buck discharged and Florence Eshalomi nominated in substitution.

14First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Grants to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2020)

Members: David Johnston discharged and Danny Kruger nominated in substitution.

15Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Crown Court (Recording and Broadcasting) Order 2020)

Members: Stephen Hammond discharged and Paul Howell nominated in substitution.

16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Licensing Act 2003 (Victory in Europe Day Licensing Hours) Order 2020)

Chair: Graham Stringer in place of Stewart Hosie.

Members: Richard Drax discharged and Martin Vickers nominated in substitution.

17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020)

Members: Paul Howell and Craig Mackinlay discharged and Stephen Hammond and Andrew Lewer nominated in substitution.

18Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Buckinghamshire (Structural Changes) (Supplementary Provision and Amendment) Order 2020)

Members: Mark Logan and David Morris discharged and Selaine Saxby and Bob Stewart nominated in substitution.

19Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2020 and the draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020)

Members: Mark Jenkinson discharged and Simon Fell nominated in substitution

Reports from Select Committees

20Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee  

The work of the Charity Commission: Written evidence, to be published (HC 154) (Julian Knight).

21Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

(1) Progress on devolution in England: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 174);

(2) Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to the 2020 Spending Review: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Supplementary Estimate 2019−20: Written evidence, to be published

(Mr Clive Betts).

22Procedure Committee

Memorandum from the Clerk of the House relating to possible changes to procedure and practice arising from the COVID-19 pandemic: Written evidence, to be published (Karen Bradley).

23Public Accounts (Committee of)

(1) University technical colleges: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 87);

(2) Correspondence relating to the Committee’s 109th Report of Session 2017−19: Written evidence, to be published;             

(3) Correspondence with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy relating to the flooding and high street funding announcements: Written evidence, to be published

(Meg Hillier).

24Treasury Committee

(1) Spring Budget 2020: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 214);

(2) Decarbonisation and green finance: Written evidence, to be published (HC 147)

(Mel Stride).

Lindsay Hoyle

Speaker

Westminster Hall

The sitting began at

Debates on e-petitions (Standing Order Nos. 10(1)(a) and 145A(7)))

1Sentience and welfare of animals

Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 242239 relating to the sentience and welfare of animals.—(Kerry McCarthy.)

2Caging of farm animals

Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 243448 relating to the caging of farm animals.—(Kerry McCarthy.)

Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).

Adjourned at 7.02 pm until tomorrow.

Eleanor Laing

Chairman of Ways and Means

Papers Laid

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution

1Criminal Law

Draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Early Release on Licence) Order 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Robert Buckland)

2Pensions

(1) Draft Automatic Enrolment (Offshore Employment) (Amendment) Order 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Guy Opperman)

(2) Draft Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Guy Opperman)

3Weights and Measures

Draft Weights and Measures Act 1985 (Definitions of "Metre" and "Kilogram") (Amendment) Order 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Paul Scully)

Papers subject to Negative Resolution

4Immigration

Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 294), dated 11 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Priti Patel)

5Income Tax

Income Tax (Benefits in Kind) (Exemption for Welfare Counselling) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 291), dated 12 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Jesse Norman)

6National Health Service

National Health Service (Existing Liabilities Scheme for General Practice) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 296), dated 13 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and a summary Impact Assessment (by Command) (Helen Whately)

7Social Security

(1) Guardian's Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 302), dated 16 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Steve Barclay)

(2) Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 300), dated 13 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Jesse Norman)

(3) Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating) Consequential Amendment Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 303), dated 16 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Jesse Norman)

(4) Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 304), dated 16 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Mims Davies)

8Tax Credits

Tax Credits, Child Benefit, Guardian's Allowance and Childcare Payments (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 297), dated 12 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Steve Barclay)

Papers laid under paragraphs 3(3) and 17(3) of Schedule 7 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

9Exiting the European Union (Transport)

Proposal for an instrument titled Regulation (EC) No. 1370/2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary Grant Shapps)

Other papers

10European Union (Withdrawal)

Statement of policy in relation to family reunion of unaccompanied children seeking international protection in the EU or the UK (by Act) (Secretary Priti Patel)

11Law Commissions

Report of the Law Commission on Electoral Law: A joint final report (by Act), to be printed (HC 145) (Secretary Robert Buckland)

12National Audit

Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Ministry of Defence: Defence capabilities - delivering what was promised (by Act), to be printed (HC 106) (Clerk of the House)

13Treasure

Treasure Act Report for 2017 (by Act) (Caroline Dinenage)

CORRECTION

Friday 13 March 2020

In Papers Laid, the following should have appeared before item 5:

Pensions

Pensions Increase (Review) Order 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 290), dated 11 March 2020 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Steve Barclay)

 

Prepared 16 March 2020