WEDNESDAY 18TH NOVEMBER
[Prayers will have been read]
*The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have abandoned their proposal to establish a Foods Standards Agency.
*The Lord Taylor of Blackburn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Ordnance Survey are no longer depicting county boundaries on their maps and whether they will revert to the original method of including both county and administrative data.
*The Earl Baldwin of Bewdley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it remains their policy that dietary supplements are sold under the law relating to food provided they are safe and make no medicinal claims.
*The Lord Shore of Stepney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to assist the government and people of Bangladesh to deal with the recent flood disaster; and what assessment has been made of their continuing needs and priorities.
†Standing Orders (Public Business)— The Chairman of Committees to move, That the Standing Orders relating to public business be amended as follows—
Standing Order 15
At end insert—
“(2) In order better to discharge his duties as a Minister of the Crown, the Lord Chancellor may, if he thinks fit, leave the Woolsack and sit in such other part of the House as he may find convenient; and in such circumstances his place on the Woolsack shall be taken by a Deputy Speaker or Deputy Chairman.”;
Standing Order 16
At end insert “or such other part of the House as he may find convenient”.
House of Lords’ Offices—The Chairman of Committees to move, That the 7th Report from the Select Committee (HL Paper 153) be agreed to.
†The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe—To move, as an amendment to the Chairman of Committees’ motion, leave out all the words after (“That”) and insert (“this House declines to approve the 7th Report from the Select Committee (HL Paper 153), in view of the substantial disagreement amongst the members of the Administration and Works Sub-Committee on the question whether the scheme to refurbish Old Palace Yard be proceeded with at a cost of £2.44 million.”).
Registration of Political Parties Bill—Third Reading [The Lord Williams of Mostyn]
The Lord Palmer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the present state of agriculture in the United Kingdom with particular reference to the upland regions and Scotland.
THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER
*The Lord Jacobs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the operation of the new regulations which limit the sale of aspirin and other similar products to 32 tablets at one time without the express agreement of a pharmacist.
*The Lord Quirk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that Primary Care Group Boards are so structured as to make proper use of the skills and knowledge of pharmacists.
*The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what encouragement or assistance they are giving to the development of offshore wind generation of electricity.
NO DAY NAMED
PART I
The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To call attention to the opportunities for trade with and investment in Latin America; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To call attention to the need for full, enforceable civil rights for chronically sick and disabled people; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Perry of Southwark—To call attention to the importance of higher education policy for the social, economic and intellectual welfare of the United Kingdom; and to move for papers.
The Lord Barnett—To call attention to the prospects for the United Kingdom joining EMU in the foreseeable future; and to move for papers.
The Lord Armstrong of Ilminster—To move, That a Select Committee be appointed to undertake an inquiry, and within three calendar months to make recommendations, as to how a procedure might be implemented whereby the House would nominate approximately one hundred peers by succession to be voting peers and whereby the remaining peers by succession would renounce their rights to vote but would retain their rights to speak in the House or Committees of the House.
The Lord Moynihan—To call attention to the current situation in Algeria; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Northesk—To call attention to political and economic developments in the South Atlantic; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Carlisle—To call attention to the number of people from ethnic minorities in senior positions in public life; and to move for papers.
The Lord Sandberg—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the financial crisis in the Far East is likely to have on the British economy.
The Lord Hooson—To call attention to plans to restructure the United Nations for the next century; and to move for papers.
Succession to the Crown—The Lord Alderdice to move, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to allow that Her undoubted Prerogative and interest may not stand in the way of the consideration of Parliament during the present session of any measure to remove the bar on a person who is not, or who is married to a person who is not, a protestant to succeed to the Crown.
The Earl of Carlisle—To call attention to the long-term future of Central and Eastern Europe, with particular reference to the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Onslow—To call attention to the science of genetically-modified organisms, and its implications for the breeding of plants and animals; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Hanworth—To call attention to the need to encourage teachers in primary and secondary education, and to the role of OFSTED; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bishop of Oxford—To call attention to the commitment in the Labour Party manifesto to a “fairer, faster and firmer” asylum procedure; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ackner—To call attention to the case for effectively monitoring the operation of conditional fee agreements; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dholakia—To call attention to the need for a national strategy for dealing with paedophiles; and to move for papers.
The Lord Birdwood—To call attention to changes in the duties of back-bench members of both Houses of Parliament in the last thirty years; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Linklater of Butterstone—To call attention to the implications for rural communities of the closure of their local school; and to move for papers.
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To call attention to the apparent increase in cruelty to animals; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Clanwilliam—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the industrialisation of farming practices in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Hylton—To move to resolve, That this House deplores the attempted murder of Mr Akin Birdal, President of the Turkish Human Rights Association, on 12th May; the refusal by the Turkish Government to admit United Nations Rapporteurs on Human Rights, or representatives of the OSCE or ICRC; the imprisonment and exile of members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; and the banning and dissolution in Turkey of numerous bona fide political parties.
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further consideration they are giving to improving Service Pensions and War and War Widows’ Pensions; and when they expect to announce any improvements.
The Viscount Chelmsford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that the link between the United Kingdom’s Balance of Payments and the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by the nation’s leaders and managers is sufficiently understood.
The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their view of the economic and business opportunities presented by the information age, which was the subject of a Government paper published in April by the Central Office of Information.
The Lord Vinson—To call attention to the case for using nuclear energy to meet the United Kingdom’s Kyoto Conference obligations for the reduction of CO2 emissions; and to move for papers.
The Lord Hayhoe—To call attention to the case for establishing an Independent Statutory Commission responsible for the conduct of referendums, their organisation and administration along the lines proposed by the Commission on the Conduct of Referendums chaired by Sir Patrick Nairne which reported in November 1996; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ironside—To call attention to the strengths of the Armed Forces and the investments needed to sustain their capabilities for deployment and intervention in defence of the United Kingdom’s sovereign interests; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ackner—To call attention to the Government’s consultation paper Rights of Audience and Rights to Conduct Litigation in England and Wales: The Way Ahead (June 1998); and to move for papers.
The Lord Sefton of Garston—To call attention to the case for a review of income tax (especially at the top levels) in order to ensure a fairer distribution of resources; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Gould of Potternewton—To call attention to the discrepancies in the provision of abortion under the National Health Service; and to move for papers.
The Earl Russell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the responsibilities and the objectives of the Minister for Women.
The Lord Lloyd-Webber—To call attention to the workings of the licensing system governing the export of art and cultural goods; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the use of sanctions.
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many servicemen and women who served in the Gulf War have illnesses still awaiting diagnosis; and what progress is being made in their investigations in relation to these illnesses.
The Baroness Cox—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy towards recent developments in Sudan.
The Lord Mackie of Benshie—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking or intend to take to deal with the serious crisis facing British farmers.
The Lord Mayhew of Twysden—To ask HMG what representations they have received about their proposals for a “modern system” for corporation tax payments following the abolition of advance corporation tax in April 1999.
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the indefinite unilateral ceasefire from 1st September by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), and the presence of Turkish troops in Iraq and recent military threats against Syria.
The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give advice to police authorities on the circumstances in which police vehicles may exceed speed limits, ignore traffic lights and in other ways dispense with the regulations governing traffic on public roads.
The Lord Freyberg—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have in mind a change in the way in which the arts in this country are governed and managed.
The Lord Clement-Jones—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Health plans to issue new guidance on MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines in the light of new medical evidence and litigation recently instituted against pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the vaccines.
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that further measures are needed to protect and maintain the separation of powers and the independence and impartiality of the Judiciary in determining devolution issues, human rights issues and other issues involving the misuse of power by public authorities.
The Lord Rotherwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they intend to take to address the difficulties facing the agricultural industry.
The Lord Rowallan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their view of the disparity between farm-gate and supermarket prices for food products; and what steps they intend to take to redress this imbalance.
The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what future defence role they see for the Western European Union.
The Lord McNally—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes in procedure and liaison between the Home Office and the Press Complaints Commission have taken place following their respective inquiries into the circumstances surrounding press serialisation of Cries Unheard concerning the case of Mary Bell.
The Earl of Iveagh—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide additional financial support for conductive education.
The Baroness Knight of Collingtree—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider the case for changes in the procedure to deal with alleged disciplinary misdemeanours by hospital doctors or consultants, particularly to speed up the process.
The Lord Ahmed—To call attention to the case for fresh international initiatives to solve the problem of Kashmir; and to move for papers.
The Lord Paul—To call attention to the role of privately owned businesses in the British economy; and to move for papers.
The Lord Morris of Castle Morris—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they propose to take to alleviate the funding difficulties faced by the British Library.
The Lord Berkeley—To call attention to the Government White Paper A New Deal for Transport: better for everyone (Cm 3950); and to move for papers.
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether heads of government and foreign or trade ministers from countries outside the European Union enjoy sufficient access to United Kingdom ministers; how many requests for meetings at heads of government or ministerial level have been made since 1st May 1997; what such meetings have taken place; and what such further meetings have been arranged.
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the report of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists on organophosphate sheep dips.
The Lord Brabazon of Tara—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further measures they propose to deal with crimes of violence on board aircraft; and how they intend to ensure that those found guilty of such crimes receive appropriate punishments.
The Lord Phillips of Sudbury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the final report of the Crick Advisory Group on Education for Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools.
The Lord Tope—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the level of safety in private rented accommodation occupied by university undergraduates.
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider lowering the age of eligibility for candidates in local elections to 18.
The Earl of Clancarty—To call attention to the Department of Culture, Media & Sport’s new funding arrangements, and the restructuring of the Arts Council of England, the Museums and Galleries Commission and other publicly funded arts organisations; and to move for papers.
The Lord Janner of Braunstone—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to encourage the governments of Poland and other nations to restore to their rightful owners assets now in the custody of those nations which were stolen from individual victims by the Nazis or their allies.
†The Lord Ezra—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they propose to take in response to Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge’s report on economic instruments and the business use of energy.
†The Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to end the practice whereby an investigating accountant appointed to a company subsequently becomes the Receiver of the company.
PART II
SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS
[The date in brackets is that on which the Report was published]
The Lord Kingsland—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on Enhancing Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Third Pillar (6th Report, HL Paper 25). [12th September]
The Lord Slynn of Hadley—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the Select Committee on the Public Service (HL Paper 55). [19th January]
The Lord Hoffmann—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on Acquired Rights Revisited (22nd Report, HL Paper 98). [18th May]
The Lord Barnett—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on the Reform of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund (30th Report, HL Paper 138). [3rd August]
The Lord Perry of Walton—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the Science and Technology Committee on Cannabis: the scientific and medical evidence (9th Report, HL Paper 151). [11th November]
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
[Tabled or amended on 16th November, or unanswered after 21 days]
12th March
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government—
(a) which heads of government, foreign or trade ministers from outside the European Union have since 1st May 1997 requested through their High Commissioners or Ambassadors a meeting with the Prime Minister, a Secretary of State or a Minister;
(b) what such meetings have taken place; and
(c) what further such meetings have been arranged;
giving in each case in (b) and (c) the date of the meeting and the British Minister involved. (HL1061)
[As amended on 21st April.]
21st October
The Lord Alton of Liverpool—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the context of the growing humanitarian crisis in Burma, what representations they have made to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning the establishment of an adequate refugee admission procedure for Burmese refugees, including the processing and designation of refugees. (HL3544)
22nd October
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will reply to the letter from the Kurdish community in London to the Prime Minister, dated 21st October, concerning political solutions to internal conflict in Turkey and the jamming of international television broadcasts by Turkey; and whether they will place copies of their reply in the Libraries of the two Houses of Parliament. (HL3566)
16th November
The Lord Judd—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new appointments they have made to the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. (HL3898)
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have made to carry out research into badger capture methods. (HL3899)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the British Embassy in Luanda is permitted to maintain contact with UNITA officials in Angola. (HL3900)
The Lord Hughes of Woodside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 9th to 10th November. (HL3901)
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 is not applicable to Northern Ireland; and what safeguards there are in that province against the irresponsible sale of wild animals. (HL3902)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have received from the Bahraini Government, following their assurances that the death in custody of Mr Nooh Khalil al-Noor was being investigated and that the authorities would keep the British Embassy in Bahrain fully informed. (HL3903)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make available to Members of both Houses of Parliament, who go on overseas visits at the expense of their hosts, information in their possession about the antecedents of those hosts. (HL3904)
The Lord Ironside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the latest total net sum that has been spent by the Legal Aid Board on cases in which plaintiffs have sought and are still continuing to seek compensation for injuries caused by the use of radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer. (HL3905)
The Lord Ironside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the Legal Aid Board’s multi-party action in which 41 of the remaining plaintiffs are still seeking compensation for injuries caused by radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer, whether the experts’ meetings fixed for early November to consider some or all of these cases have taken place; and what the result has been. (HL3906)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific steps they are taking, in conjunction with the European Union and the United States, to prevent the construction of Israeli settlements at Har Homa. (HL3907)
The Lord Hill-Norton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Gilbert on 20th October (WA 143), whether the United States Air Force 5th Space Surveillance Squadron based at RAF Feltwell searches for or tracks any objects other than satellites, space debris and space probes; and, if so, what these objects are. (HL3908)
The Lord Hill-Norton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 14th October (WA 100), whether they will authorise the opening of the thirty-three closed files at the Public Record Office which contain information about unidentified flying objects. (HL3909)
The Lord Hill-Norton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the references and titles of all open and closed files currently held by the Ministry of Defence which contain information about unidentified flying objects. (HL3910)
The Lord Onslow of Woking—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the report of the Inspector’s inquiry on the River Wye Navigation Order was received; and when the results of the inquiry will be announced. (HL3911)
The Lord Hughes of Woodside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what responses they have received to the consultation document Improving Decision Making”; and how they intend to proceed with determinate sentences of between 4 and 15 years. (HL3912)
The Lord Hughes of Woodside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the purpose and scope of the reservation of “intellectual property” in the Scotland Bill. (HL3913)
BILLS IN PROGRESS
[The date in brackets is the date for which the bill is set down]
Waiting for Second Reading
Prime Minister (Ecclesiastical Functions) [HL]
Energy Efficiency (No. 2) [HL]
Hereditary Peerage (Election) [HL]
Committed to a Committee of the Whole House
Pharmacists [HL]
Criminal Appeal (Amendment) [HL]
Waiting for Report
Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office) (Amendment) [HL]
Waiting for Third Reading
Northern Ireland [17th November]
Registration of Political Parties [18th November]
London Local Authorities [HL]
Sent to the Commons
Coordinated Universal Time [HL]
Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Amendment) [HL]
Geneva Conventions (Amendment) [HL]
British Nationality (St. Helena) [HL]
Local Government (Experimental Arrangements) [HL]
Business Improvement Districts [HL]
Electricity Generation [HL]
Mental Health (Amendment) (No. 2) [HL]
Building Regulations (Energy Rating Information) (Amendment) [HL]
Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) (Amendment) [HL]
Sexual Orientation Discrimination [HL]
Pensions (Amendment) [HL]
Alliance & Leicester plc (Group Reorganisation) [HL]
City of Westminster [HL]
Returned to the Commons amended
Fireworks
Regional Development Agencies
Waiting for consideration of Commons Reasons
Returned to the Commons with a Reason
European Parliamentary Elections
Waiting for Royal Assent
Statute Law (Repeals) [HL]
Waste Minimisation
MEASURE IN PROGRESS
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
AFFIRMATIVE INSTRUMENTS IN PROGRESS
Waiting for consideration by the Joint Committee
Draft Functions of Traffic Wardens (Scotland) Order 1998
Draft Broadcasting (Restrictions on the Holding of Licences) (Amendment) Order 1998
Draft Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 (Specified Organisations) (No. 2) Order 1998
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
Draft Security for Private Road Works (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1998
Draft Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 1998
Draft Local Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 1998
Draft Channel 4 (Application of Excess Revenues) Order 1998
Draft Parliamentary Constituencies (England) (Miscellaneous Changes) Order 1998
Draft Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
DEREGULATION PROPOSAL IN PROGRESS
Proposal reported from the Deregulation Committee
Draft Deregulation (Pipe-lines) Order 1998
COMMITTEES
[Unless otherwise indicated, Committees meet in the Lords’ rooms
in the Committee Corridor as indicated in the daily broadsheets]
TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER
