HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Die Mercurii 19° Februarii 2003
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford.
Judicial Business
1. Regina v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) ex parte Amin (FC) (Appellant)—The petition of the appellant praying that the time for lodging the statement and appendix and setting down the cause for hearing might be extended to 12th March next (the agents for the respondent consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
2. Russell (Respondent) v. Devine (AP) (Appellant) (On Appeal from the Court of Appeal Northern Ireland) (Northern Ireland)—The appellant’s legal aid certificate was lodged.
Papers
3. Command Paper—The following paper was presented to the House by command of Her Majesty and ordered to lie on the Table:
Protection of Investments—Agreement between the United Kingdom and Vietnam for the Promotion and Protection of Investments. (5748)
4. Negative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Crown Court (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2003, laid under the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978; (—)
2. Family Proceedings (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2003, laid under the Family Law (Northern Ireland) Order 1993. (—)
Public Business
5. Water Bill [HL]—A bill to amend the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Water Industry Act 1991; to make provision with respect to compensation under section 61 of the Water Resources Act 1991; to provide for the establishment and functions of the Water Services Regulation Authority and the Consumer Council for Water, and for the abolition of the office of Director General of Water Services; to make provision in connection with land drainage and flood defence; to amend the Reservoirs Act 1975; to make provision about contaminated land so far as it relates to the pollution of controlled waters; to confer on the Coal Authority functions in relation to the discharge of water from coal mines; to extend the functions of the Environment Agency in relation to the Rivers Esk, Sark and Tweed and their tributaries so far as they are in England; and for connected purposes was presented by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton, on behalf of the Lord Whitty, read a first time and ordered to be printed. (HL Bill 36)
6. Water Bill [HL]—It was ordered that the Explanatory Notes relating to the bill be printed. (HL Bill 36-EN)
7. Business of the House—It was moved by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, on behalf of the Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn), that Standing Order 47 (No two stages of a bill to be taken on one day) be dispensed with on Tuesday next for the purpose of taking the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Bill through all its remaining stages that day; the motion was agreed to.
8. Export of Works of Art (Balloted debate)—It was moved by the Lord Strabolgi that there be laid before the House papers relating to the Forty-eighth Report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art 2001-2002 (Cm 5662); after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
9. Southern Africa (Balloted debate)—It was moved by the Earl of Sandwich that there be laid before the House papers relating to the international development targets in southern Africa; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
10. Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003—It was moved by the Baroness Hollis of Heigham that the draft Regulations laid before the House on 9th January be approved; after debate, the motion was agreed to.
11. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Investigations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Code of Practice) Order 2003—It was moved by the Lord Bassam of Brighton that the draft Order laid before the House on 16th January be approved; after debate, the motion was agreed to.
12. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Disclosure of Information) Order 2003—It was moved by the Lord Bassam of Brighton that the draft Order laid before the House on 16th January be approved; the motion was agreed to.
13. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Exemptions from Civil Recovery) Order 2003—It was moved by the Lord Bassam of Brighton that the draft Order laid before the House on 22nd January be approved; the motion was agreed to.
The House was adjourned at seven minutes before nine o’clock
till tomorrow, eleven o’clock.
MICHAEL DAVIES
Cler: Parliamentor: | 
