Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(2) the hon. Member representing the Church Commissioners, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission and the hon. Member representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
2Urgent Question: Downing Street Christmas parties investigation (Michael Ellis)
3Business Question (Leader of the House)
4Statement: Delivering justice for victims (Tom Pursglove)
5Select Committee Statement (Standing Order No. 22D): Publication of the Fourth Special Report of the Defence Committee, Protecting those who protect us: Women in the armed forces from recruitment to civilian life: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2021–22, HC 904 (Sarah Atherton)
(1) Contribution of financial services to the UK economy
Resolved, That this House recognises the importance of financial services to the UK economy; and calls on the Government to provide adequate support to help create the right regulatory and operational environment for that industry to ensure that the UK is able to retain its competitiveness on the world stage.—(Anthony Browne.)
(2) Consular support for British citizens
Resolved, That this House regrets that the consular services provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to bereaved families of people who have been murdered, died in suspicious circumstances, imprisoned or tortured overseas has fallen short of the standard reasonably expected; notes that access to justice and basic standards of assistance are dependent upon a person’s ability to pay; is concerned that there is no legal right to consular assistance and that support is provided on a discretionary basis, which can lead to unpredictable and inconsistent communications from the FCDO; further regrets that consular services in the UK are below the level of support UK citizens should expect; believes that the FCDO’s focus is on what it cannot do to help, rather than what it can do, which adds to the trauma experienced by victims; calls on the Government to improve and standardise communication processes at the FCDO, to publish consular procedures and policies and to revisit the findings of the Fifth Report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Support for British nationals abroad: The Consular Service, Session 2014-15, HC 516; further calls on the Government to consult with the families affected and to raise the standard of how British citizens are treated by FCDO procedures; and urges the Government to set a world leading example of how a state treats its citizens in their darkest hour of need.—(Hannah Bardell.)
Subject: Provision of services to vulnerable women and children asylum seekers in Stockton (Alex Cunningham)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Scott Mann.)
At 5.00 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Scott Mann.)
Adjourned at 5.11 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
8Education (Assemblies) Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed a bill to amend the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to make provision regarding assemblies at state schools without a designated religious character in England; to repeal the requirement for those schools to hold collective worship; and for connected purposes, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
9Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
The Lords agree to the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill, without amendment.
The Lords do not insist on their Amendments to the Armed Forces Bill to which the Commons have disagreed and do propose Amendments in lieu to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
Printing of Lords Amendments
Lords Message in relation to the Armed Forces Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 213).
Changes to Notices Given
12Benefit Sanctions (Warnings) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022.
13Universal Credit Sanctions (Zero Hours Contracts) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022
14Asylum Seekers (Accommodation Eviction Procedures) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022
15Disability Benefit Assessments (Recording) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022.
17Health and Safety at Work Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022.
19Workers (Rights and Definition) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 14 January 2022
20Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 21 January 2022
21United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Pension Transfers (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Investigation) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 25 February 2022.
22Registers of Births and Deaths Bill
Order for resuming on Friday 10 December the adjourned debate on the Question proposed on 26 November, That the Bill be now read a second time, read and discharged.
Debate to be resumed on Friday 14 January 2022.
Order for Second Reading on Friday 10 December, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 25 February 2022.
General Committees: Reports
24Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill Committee
Mrs Sheryll Murray (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
25Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) [Lords] Bill
Julie Elliott (Chair) reported:
(1) written evidence; and
(2) the Bill, as amended.
Written evidence to be published.
Bill, as amended, to be considered tomorrow; and to be printed (Bill 214).
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).
26Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill Committee
Chair: David Mundell
27Dormant Assets Bill Committee
Chairs: Ms Nusrat Ghani and Dr Rupa Huq
28First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Network and Information Systems (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Chair: Mr Peter Bone
Members: Mr Mark Francois discharged and Giles Watling nominated in substitution.
29Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Wine (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Chair: Caroline Nokes
30Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021)
Chair: Peter Dowd
Members: Nicola Richards discharged and Laura Trott nominated in substitution.
31Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Civil Jurisdiction and Judgements (2005 Hague Convention and 2007 Hague Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
Chair: Philip Davies
Members: Dame Angela Eagle, Dr Julian Lewis and Sir Robert Neill discharged and Mr Louie French, Andy Slaughter and Laura Trott nominated in substitution.
32Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Companies (Strategic Report) (Climate-related Financial Disclosure) Regulations 2021)
Chair: James Gray
Members: Ben Bradley and Sir Robert Neill discharged and Mr Robert Goodwill and Laura Trott nominated in substitution.
33Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Merchant Shipping (Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments) Order 2022)
Chair: Hannah Bardell
Members: Laura Trott discharged and Nicola Richards nominated in substitution.
Reports from Select Committees
34Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 16 December in the Chamber (Ian Mearns).
35Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of the Charity Commission:
(i) Sixth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 261);
(ii) Oral evidence, to be published (HC 261)
(Julian Knight).
Correspondence with the Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder relating to his review of fairness and natural justice in the House’s standards system: Written evidence, to be published (Chris Bryant).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 1.30 pm.
Business determined by the Backbench Business Committee (Standing Orders No. 10(7) and No. 14(4))
1Support for the UK’s transition to electric vehicles by 2030
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered support for the UK’s transition to electric vehicles by 2030.—(Wera Hobhouse.)
At 3.00 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
Liaison Committee business (Standing Order No. 10(7))
2Protecting those who protect us: Women in the armed forces from recruitment to civilian life
Resolved, That this House has considered the Second Report of the Defence Committee, Protecting those who protect us: Women in the armed forces from recruitment to civilian life, HC 154, and the Government Response, HC 904.—(Sarah Atherton.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 4.13 pm until Monday 13 December.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1400), dated 9 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Maggie Throup)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Marketing Standards and Organic Products) (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1396), dated 9 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
London Capital and Finance Compensation Scheme (Chargeable Gains Exemption) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1385), dated 8 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lucy Frazer)
Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1378), dated 7 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Michelle Donelan)
(1) Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1397), dated 9 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
(2) Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1395), dated 8 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
Designation of Freeport Tax Sites (Freeport East) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1389), dated 8 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lucy Frazer)
(1) Draft Bury (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (The Speaker)
(2) Draft Gosport (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (The Speaker)
Other papers
8Budget Responsibility and National Audit
Office for Budget Responsibility: Forecast evaluation report (by Act) (Helen Whately)
9Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
National Minimum Wage: Low Pay Commission Report 2021 (by Command) (CP 565) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
Report on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks for the period 26 June to 25 September 2021 (by Act) (Secretary Michael Gove)
11Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Departmental Minute regarding liability arising from India Green Guarantee (by Command) (Amanda Milling)
12Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of the Commission for Local Administration in England (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 900) (Secretary Michael Gove)
Accounts of Insolvency Services and the Insolvency Services Investment for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 970) (Clerk of the House)
Delivering justice for victims: A consultation on improving victims' experiences of the justice system (by Command) (CP 574) (Secretary Dominic Raab)
Report and Accounts of the National Citizen Service Trust for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 763) (Nigel Huddleston)
Report and Accounts of Arts Council England Grant-in-aid and National Lottery Distribution for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 288) (Nigel Huddleston)
(1) Report and Accounts of Creative Scotland National Lottery Distribution Fund for 2020-21 (by Act) (Secretary Alister Jack)
(2) Report and Accounts of National Lottery Distribution Fund for 2020-21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 315) (Secretary Nadine Dorries)
Report and Accounts of the National Employment Savings Trust Corporation for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 374) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
Treasury Minutes on the Government responses on the Twelfth and Seventeenth to the Twenty-First reports of the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2021-22 (by Command) (CP 583) (Helen Whately)
SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATES
Voting by proxy
New proxy voting arrangement
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), that Mr Ranil Jayawardena is eligible to have a proxy vote cast on his behalf, starting from 5 January 2022 and finishing on 18 January 2022. The nominated proxy is Stuart Andrew.