Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Speaker’s Statement: Resignation of the Chair of the Treasury Committee and arrangements for the election of a successor
2Questions to (1) the Minister for Women and Equalities
(2) the Prime Minister
3Urgent Questions: (1) Resignation and reappointment of the Home Secretary (Jeremy Quin)
(2) UK-India Free Trade Agreement (Greg Hands)
4General Election (Date) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Ed Davey presented a Bill to amend the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 to provide for a general election to be held no later than 1 December 2022; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 18 November, and to be printed (Bill 174).
5Former Ministers and Prime Ministers (Abolition of Payments) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Rachael Maskell presented a Bill to prevent certain non-statutory payments being made by the Government to former Prime Ministers; to abolish the payment of grants to persons ceasing to hold ministerial offices; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 9 December, and to be printed (Bill 175).
6Consumer Telephone Service Standards: Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide for maximum waiting times for customers who are contacting providers of utilities and certain other services by telephone; to require such companies to ensure that customers can speak to a person within that maximum waiting time; to restrict the use of automated menus on telephone services offered by such companies; to provide for financial penalties for companies that fail to meet these standards; and for connected purposes;
That Robert Halfon, Dame Caroline Dinenage, Sir Roger Gale, Peter Aldous, Kevin Hollinrake, Mr Louie French, Lucy Allan, Stephen Metcalfe, Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck, Daisy Cooper, Margaret Ferrier and Jim Shannon present the Bill.
Robert Halfon accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 3 March 2023, and to be printed (Bill 176).
7Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]: Committee
The House resolved itself into a Committee (Order, 12 October).
(In the Committee)
Clause 1 (National and cultural identity)
Amendment 6 proposed—(Claire Hanna.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
Division No. 77
Ayes: 136 (Tellers: Liz Twist, Mary Glindon)
Noes: 276 (Tellers: Damien Moore, Sir David Evennett)
Question accordingly negatived.
Clause 1 agreed to.
Clause 2 agreed to.
Clause 3 (The Ulster Scots and the Ulster British Tradition)
Amendment 1 proposed—(Ian Paisley.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
Division No. 78
Ayes: 106 (Tellers: Carla Lockhart, Sammy Wilson)
Noes: 286 (Tellers: Damien Moore, Sir David Evennett)
Question accordingly negatived.
Clause 3 agreed to.
Clauses 4 and 5 agreed to.
Clause 6 (Concurrent powers and powers of direction)
Amendment 13 proposed—(Claire Hanna.)
Question put, that the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
Division No. 79
Ayes: 129 (Tellers: Liz Twist, Mary Glindon)
Noes: 279 (Tellers: Damien Moore, Sir David Evennett)
Question accordingly negatived.
Clause 6 agreed to.
Clauses 7 to 11 agreed to.
Clause 12 (Short title)
Amendment 19 made.
Clause 12, as amended, agreed to.
Schedules 1 to 3 agreed to.
The occupant of the Chair left the Chair to report the Bill (Order, 12 October).
_____________
The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.
Stuart Anderson reported, That the Committee had gone through the Bill and made an Amendment.
8Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]: Consideration of the Bill, as amended in Committee
No amendments on consideration.
9Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]: Third Reading
Bill read the third time and passed.
10Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Merchant Shipping (Safety Standards for Passenger Ships on Domestic Voyages) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2022, which were laid before this House on 11 July, be approved.—(Stuart Anderson.)
Question agreed to.
A public petition from residents of the constituency of South Thanet relating to Ramsgate Town Council and Manston Airport was presented and read by Craig Mackinlay.
Subject: Potential merits of locating a diagnostic hospital in Stockton (Matt Vickers)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Stuart Anderson.)
Adjourned at 5.12 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Changes to Notices Given
13Asylum Seekers (Permission to Work) Bill
Order for second reading on Friday 28 October, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 18 November.
14Housing Standards (Refugees and Asylum Seekers) Bill
Order for second reading on Friday 28 October, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 18 November.
Explanatory Notes to Bills
15Co-operatives, Mutuals and Friendly Societies Bill
Explanatory Notes to the Bill to be printed (Bill 17–EN)
Private Business
16High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill
High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill: Summary of matters raised in responses to the consultation on the Supplementary Environmental Statement 1 and Additional Provision 1 Environmental Statement: Report prepared by the Independent Assessor appointed under Standing Order 224A(6)(a) and submitted to the House by the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills under Standing Orders 224A(6)(a)(v) and 224A(8)(e) published (HC 779).
General Committees: Reports
17Pensions Dashboards (Prohibition of Indemnification) Bill
Mr Virendra Sharma (Chair) reported the Bill without Amendment.
Bill, not amended, to be considered on Friday 20 January 2023.
18Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee
Clive Efford (Chair) reported the draft Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (Designation of Participating Countries) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Order 2022.
19Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee
David Mundell (Chair) reported the draft Trade Marks (Amendment) Regulations 2022.
20Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee
Mr Virendra Sharma (Chair) reported the draft Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2022.
21Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee
Hannah Bardell (Chair) reported the draft Armed Forces (Covenant) Regulations 2022 and the draft Armed Forces (Service Court Rules) (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2022.
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).
22Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill Committee
Members: Nickie Aiken, Lee Anderson, Shaun Bailey, Siobhan Baillie, Paula Barker, Clive Efford, Laura Farris, Jane Hunt, Imran Hussain, Dan Jarvis, Helen Morgan, Grant Shapps, Cat Smith, Jane Stevenson, Bob Stewart, Jamie Stone and Julian Sturdy
23First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Adult Social Care Information (Enforcement) Regulations 2022)
Members: Duncan Baker, Stephen Barclay, Scott Benton, Andrew Bridgen, Mrs Natalie Elphicke, Mary Kelly Foy, Barry Gardiner, Lilian Greenwood, Andrew Gwynne, Kim Johnson, John Lamont, Anthony Mangnall, Yasmin Qureshi, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Amanda Solloway, Shailesh Vara and Suzanne Webb
24Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft International Development Association (Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative) (Amendment) Order 2022 and the draft International Development Association (Twentieth Replenishment) Order 2022)
Members: Paul Bristow, Amy Callaghan, James Cleverly, Ruth Edwards, Laura Farris, Vicky Ford, Preet Gill, Mr Damian Hinds, Adam Holloway, Gerald Jones, John McDonnell, Mr Khalid Mahmood, Mr Gagan Mohindra, Kate Osamor, Tom Randall, Mr Barry Sheerman and Craig Tracey
25Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Drivers’ Hours, Tachographs, International Road Haulage and Licensing of Operators (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
Members: Lucy Allan, Mr Ben Bradshaw, Ian Byrne, John Cryer, Dr James Davies, Marsha De Cordova, Michael Fabricant, Anna Firth, Colleen Fletcher, Gill Furniss, Mr Mark Harper, Dame Meg Hillier, Kevin Hollinrake, Andrew Jones, Marco Longhi, Damien Moore and Derek Thomas
26Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (Alcohol Licensing (Coronavirus) (Regulatory Easements) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I., 2022, No. 978) dated 22 September 2022)
Members: Debbie Abrahams, Shaun Bailey, Suella Braverman, Elliot Colburn, Miss Sarah Dines, Chris Elmore, Ben Everitt, Emma Hardy, Sarah Jones, Paul Maynard, Mrs Sheryll Murray, John Penrose, Ms Marie Rimmer, Gary Sambrook, John Spellar, Nadia Whittome and James Wild
27Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Trade Marks (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
Members: Matthew Offord discharged and Craig Whittaker nominated in substitution.
28Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Football Spectators (Relevant Offences) Regulations 2022)
Members: Nickie Aiken, Shaun Bailey, Suella Braverman, Liam Byrne, Miss Sarah Dines, Chris Elmore, Sir Robert Goodwill, Dame Diana Johnson, Andy McDonald, Jerome Mayhew, Mary Robinson, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Bob Seely, Naz Shah, James Sunderland, Matt Warman and Beth Winter
29Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2022)
Members: Miss Sarah Dines discharged and Joy Morrissey nominated in substitution.
30Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Armed Forces (Covenant) Regulations 2022 and the draft Armed Forces (Service Court Rules) (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2022)
Members: Chris Grayling discharged and Nigel Huddleston nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
31Draft Mental Health Bill (Joint Committee on)
Draft Mental Health Bill: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 696) (Sir Charles Walker).
32Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Sustainable timber and deforestation: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 637);
(2) Sustainability of the built environment: Written evidence, to be published (HC 103)
(Philip Dunne).
(1) Ninth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 119-viii);
(2) Regulating after Brexit: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 125);
(3) Ministerial correspondence: Written evidence, to be published (HC 119)
(Sir William Cash).
(1) Channel crossings, migration and asylum: Government response to the Committee’s First Report: Fourth Special Report, to be printed (HC 706);
(2) Channel crossings: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 822);
(3) Drugs: Written evidence, to be published (HC 198)
(Dame Diana Johnson).
35Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
Human Rights of Asylum Seekers in the UK: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 821) (Joanna Cherry).
36International Trade Committee
(1) UK trade negotiations: Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 79);
(2) Trade and the environment: Written evidence, to be published (HC 75);
(3) UK trade approach towards developing countries: Written evidence, to be published (HC 76);
(4) UK trade negotiations: Agreement with New Zealand: Written evidence, to be published (HC 78)
(Angus Brendan MacNeil).
37Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
The effect of paramilitaries on society in Northern Ireland: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 24) (Simon Hoare).
38Science and Technology Committee
1) UK space strategy and UK satellite infrastructure: Second Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 100);
2) My Science Inquiry: Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 618);
3) R&D policy one-off: Written evidence, to be published (HC 785)
(Carol Monaghan).
Speaker’s Conference on the employment conditions of Members’ staff:
(i) First Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 692);
(ii) Part of written evidence, to be published (HC 692)
(Mr Speaker).
Chris Bryant reported, That:
(1) The Independent Expert Panel has published a report (The Conduct of Mr Christian Matheson MP, HC 823) which contains a determination for a sanction that would, if made by the Committee on Standards, engage the provisions of the Recall of MPs Act 2015;
(2) If Christian Matheson had remained a Member of the House, the Committee on Standards would have recommended as follows, under Standing Order No. 150E: That Christian Matheson be suspended from the service of the House for four weeks. The period of suspension should not run over a period when the House is expected to be adjourned for more than four days. This sanction should run concurrently with any sanction imposed as a result of the sub-panel's determination.
41Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Fourteenth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 4 -xiv) (Jessica Morden).
Self-driving vehicles: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 519) (Huw Merriman).
(1) Autumn 2022 Fiscal Events: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 740);
(2) The crypto-asset industry: Written evidence, to be published (HC 615)
(Dame Angela Eagle).
(1) Floating offshore wind in Wales: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 827);
(2) Shared Prosperity Fund: Written evidence, to be published (HC 639)
(Stephen Crabb).
45Women and Equalities Committee
(1) Misogyny in music: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 317);
(2) Correspondence with the Minister for Women relating to the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with Chairwoman of the EHRC relating to reaccreditation of the Commission: Written evidence, to be published
(Caroline Nokes).
(1) Plan for Jobs and employment support: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 600);
(2) Correspondence with the Minister for Pensions and Growth relating to pensions: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to an action plan under s23 of the Equality Act 2006: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 272)
(Sir Stephen Timms).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 9.30 am.
Business appointed by the Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6))
Resolved, That this House has considered global food security.—(Mrs Paulette Hamilton.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.42 am and 11.00 am.
2Levelling up Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Resolved, That this House has considered Levelling up Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.—(Alun Cairns.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.22 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered online harms.—(Damian Hinds.)
The Chair announced a time limit on backbench speeches (under the authority of the Chairman of Ways and Means and Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Resolved, That this House has considered online harms.
4Redevelopment of Kettering General Hospital
The sitting was suspended between 4.03 pm and 4.46 pm for divisions in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
Resolved, That this House has considered redevelopment of Kettering General Hospital.—(Mr Philip Hollobone.)
5Pension Credit and the Cost-Of-Living Support Grant eligibility period extension
Resolved, That this House has considered Pension Credit and the Cost-Of-Living Support Grant eligibility period extension.—(Anne McLaughlin.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.52 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Animals, Food, Plant Health, Plant Propagating Material and Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1090), dated 25 October 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1096), dated 25 October 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Grant Shapps)
Central Rating List and Telecommunications Apparatus (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1083), dated 24 October 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Andrew Stephenson)
Railways (Penalty Fares) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1094), dated 25 October 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Mr Mark Harper)
Other papers
Departmental Minute from the Cabinet Office dated 26 October 2022, concerning the notification of a contingent liability in respect of the Insolvency of UKCloud Ltd (by Command) (Jeremy Quin)
(1) Report and Financial Statements of the Environment Agency Active Pension Fund for 2021–22, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 450) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
(2) Report and Financial Statements of the Environment Agency Closed Pension Fund for 2021–22, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 451) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
7Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for 2021–22, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 770) (Andrew Griffith)
8Health and Safety at Work etc.
Report and Accounts of the Health and Safety Executive for 2021–22, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 424) (Secretary Mel Stride)
CORRECTION
Tuesday 25 October
This item should have appeared after item 22 (Other Proceedings)
Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Trade Marks (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
Members: Lia Nici discharged and Adam Holloway nominated in substitution.