Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Attorney General
(2) the Prime Minister
2Urgent Question: Hillsborough: National police response (Chris Philp)
3Statement: Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
4Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits): Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Secretary Gillian Keegan, supported by the Prime Minister, Secretary Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Suella Braverman, Secretary Grant Shapps, Secretary Michael Gove and Robert Halfon, presented a Bill to make provision about the determination of the fee limit for higher education courses provided by registered English higher education providers subject to a fee limit condition; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 240), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 240–EN).
5Scotland (Self-Determination): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Scotland Act 1998 to transfer the power to legislate for a Scottish independence referendum to the Scottish Parliament; to provide that that power may only be exercised where the Scottish public has demonstrated its support for the holding of such a referendum; to provide that no such referendum may be held sooner than seven years after the previous such referendum; and for connected purposes;
That Neale Hanvey, Kenny MacAskill, Joanna Cherry, Angus Brendan MacNeil, Douglas Chapman and Margaret Ferrier present the Bill.
Neale Hanvey accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 24 March, and to be printed (Bill 241).
6UK Infrastructure Bank Bill [Lords]: Programme (No. 2)
Ordered, That the Order of 1 November 2022 (UK Infrastructure Bank Bill: Programme) be varied as follows:
(1) Paragraphs (4) and (5) of the Order shall be omitted.
(2) Proceedings on Consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.
(3) Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion two hours before the moment of interruption on that day.—(Scott Mann.)
7UK Infrastructure Bank Bill [Lords]: Consideration of the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee
New Clause NC1—(Richard Foord)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question proposed, That the Clause be read a second time.
Clause, by leave, withdrawn.
New Clause NC2—(Abena Oppong-Asare)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 170
Ayes: 210 (Tellers: Mary Glindon, Tonia Antoniazzi)
Noes: 271 (Tellers: Joy Morrissey Nigel Huddleston)
Question accordingly negatived.
Amendment 5 proposed.—(Abena Oppong-Asare.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 171
Ayes: 212 (Tellers: Mary Glindon, Tonia Antoniazzi)
Noes: 269 (Tellers: Morrissey, Nigel Huddleston)
Question accordingly negatived.
As it was after 4.00 pm, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on consideration to a conclusion (Programme Order, today).
The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83E).
(1) That Amendment 4 be made (Question on any amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision).—(Richard Foord.)
Question agreed to.
(2) That Amendment 2 be made (Question on any amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision).—(Stewart Hosie.)
The House divided.
Division No. 172
Ayes: 41 (Tellers: Gavin Newlands, Peter Grant)
Noes: 285 (Tellers: Joy Morrissey, Nigel Huddleston)
Question accordingly negatived.
(3) That Amendment 1 be made (Question on any amendment moved by a Minister of the Crown).—(Andrew Griffith.)
Question agreed to.
Consideration completed.
8UK Infrastructure Bank Bill [Lords]: Third Reading
Bill read the third time, and passed with Amendments.
Raising the State Pension age to 68
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of raising the State Pension age to 68.—(Nigel Mills.)
Subject: Sudden cardiac death in young people (Holly Mumby-Croft)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Stuart Anderson.)
Adjourned at 5.49 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Changes to Notices Given
11Marine Activities (Licensing) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 3 February, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 24 March.
General Committees: Reports
12Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill Committee
Mr Peter Bone (Chair) reported the Bill without amendment.
Bill, not amended, to be considered on Friday 3 March.
13Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee
Philip Davies (Chair) reported the draft Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023.
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).
14Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill Committee
Members: Gareth Bacon, Siobhan Baillie, Simon Baynes, Rob Butler, Mark Eastwood, Tim Farron, James Grundy, Sally-Ann Hart, Mr Damian Hinds, Dame Margaret Hodge, Jane Hunt, Mark Jenkinson, Dame Diana Johnson, Stuart C McDonald, Cat Smith, John Spellar and Sir Stephen Timms
15First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments and National Insurance Funds Payments) Regulations 2023 and draft Tax Credits, Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2023)
Members: Victoria Atkins, Ben Bradley, Amy Callaghan, Stella Creasy, Virginia Crosbie, Wayne David, Mark Eastwood, George Eustice, Paul Howell, Daniel Kawczynski, Ian Lavery, Karl McCartney, James Murray, Nick Smith, Royston Smith, Andrew Stephenson and Liz Twist
16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Model (Revenue Collection) Regulations 2023)
Members: Lucy Allan, Alan Brown, Ian Byrne, Sir James Duddridge, Kate Hollern, Rachel Maclean, Robbie Moore, Jessica Morden, Joy Morrissey, Lia Nici, Mr Barry Sheerman, Cat Smith, Henry Smith, Jane Stevenson, Graham Stuart, Derek Thomas and Dr Alan Whitehead
17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Authority to Carry Scheme and Civil Penalties Regulations 2023)
Members: Peter Aldous, Shaun Bailey, Simon Baynes, Mr Ben Bradshaw, Sir Geoffrey Cox, Samantha Dixon, Jackie Doyle-Price, Chris Elmore, Patrick Grady, Mrs Paulette Hamilton, Gordon Henderson, Holly Lynch, Scott Mann, Dr Kieran Mullan, Greg Smith, Tom Tugendhat, Andrew Western
18Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2023)
Members: Sarah Atherton, Mr Richard Bacon, Jack Brereton, Dan Carden, Jo Churchill, James Daly, Marion Fellows, Vicky Foxcroft, Mary Kelly Foy, Mark Logan, Stephen Metcalfe, Navendu Mishra, Tom Pursglove, Bob Seely, Kelly Tolhurst, Jon Trickett and Karl Turner
19Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Alcoholic Beverages (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023)
Members: Richard Burgon, Mary Glindon, Antony Higginbotham, Fay Jones, Rebecca Long Bailey, Jack Lopresti, Mark Menzies, Charlotte Nichols, Mark Pawsey, Andrew Percy, Chloe Smith, Mark Spencer, Julian Sturdy, Valerie Vaz, Dr Jamie Wallis, Nadia Whittome and Daniel Zeichner
20Eighth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Local Government (Structural Changes) (Supplementary Provision and Amendment) Order 2023)
Members: Debbie Abrahams, Aaron Bell, Sir Jake Berry, Fiona Bruce, Sir Robert Buckland, Colleen Fletcher, Margaret Greenwood, Gordon Henderson, Jane Hunt, Chris Loder, Andy McDonald, Sarah Owen, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Lee Rowley, Karin Smyth, Matt Vickers and Jacob Young
Select Committees: Reports
(1) Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Fifth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 725);
(2) Work of the Chief of the Air Staff: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1102)
(Tobias Ellwood).
22Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Environmental compliance and enforcement: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1092);
(2) Sustainable timber and deforestation: Written evidence, to be published (HC 637)
(Philip Dunne).
Government Northern Ireland Protocol negotiations: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1101) (Sir William Cash).
(1) Policing priorities: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 635);
(2) Correspondence from the Home Secretary relating to the Director General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Home Secretary relating to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review (WLLR) Recommendations: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Minister for Immigration relating to bilateral readmissions with Georgia: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Minister for Immigration relating to public health considerations in asylum accommodation: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Minister for Safeguarding relating to the consultation on police requests for third party material: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence relating to asylum backlogs and channel crossings Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Correspondence with the Minister for Immigration relating to delegated legislation: Written evidence, to be published;
(9) Correspondence with the Minister for Safeguarding relating to spiking: Written evidence, to be published
(Dame Diana Johnson).
25Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) Children’s Commissioner: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1046);
(2) Legislative Scrutiny: Strikes (Minimum Service and Levels) Bill 2022–23: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1088)
(Joanna Cherry).
26International Trade Committee
(1) The future of the global rules-based trading system: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1091);
(2) Correspondence with the Department for International Trade: Written evidence, to be published
(Angus Brendan MacNeil).
27Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
(1) Investment in Northern Ireland: Government Response to the Committee's First Report: First Special Report, to be printed (HC 1109);
(2) The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 24)
(Simon Hoare).
28Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Twenty-fifth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 4 -xxv) (Jessica Morden).
29Statutory Instruments (Select Committee on)
Eleventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 5 -xi) (Jessica Morden).
Strategic road investment: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 904) (Iain Stewart).
The Edinburgh Reforms: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1079) (Harriett Baldwin).
Wales as a global tourist destination: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 220) (Stephen Crabb).
33Women and Equalities Committee
(1) Cost of Living: Disabled People and Carers (one-off session): Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1037)
(2) Correspondence with the Secretary of State for International Trade relating to the UK’s Indian and Gulf Cooperation Council Trade Negotiations: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Equality and the UK asylum process: Written evidence, to be published (HC 93);
(4) Ethnicity pay gap reporting: Written evidence, to be published (HC 998);
(5) Gender Sensitive Parliament: Written evidence, to be published (HC 287);
(6) Sexism and inequality in football: Written evidence, to be published (HC 830)
(Caroline Nokes).
(1) Defined benefit pensions with Liability Driven Investments: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 826);
(2) Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 272);
(3) Correspondence with the Minister for Pensions relating to the State Pension age review: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) The work of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Written evidence, to be published (HC 549)
(Sir Stephen Timms).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 9.30 am.
Business appointed by the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6) and Order, 19 December 2022)
1The use of bee-killing pesticides in agriculture
Resolved, That this House has considered the use of bee-killing pesticides in agriculture.—(Luke Pollard.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.35 am and 11.00 am.
2Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis waiting times
Resolved, That this House has considered attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis waiting times.—(Esther McVey.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.21 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Sentencing for violence against women and girls
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered sentencing for violence against women and girls.—(Cherilyn Mackrory.)
The sitting was suspended between 3.41 pm and 4.15 pm for divisions in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
Resolved, That this House has considered sentencing for violence against women and girls.
4Replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland
Resolved, That this House has considered replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland.—(Claire Hanna.)
5The potential impact of artificial intelligence on intellectual property rights for creative workers
Resolved, That this House has considered the potential impact of artificial intelligence on intellectual property rights for creative workers.—(Sarah Olney.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.56 pm until tomorrow.
Rosie Winterton
First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
1Universities of Oxford and Cambridge
Statute, dated 11 October 2022, made by the Governing Body of the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the University (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Gillian Keegan)
Other papers
(1) Environmental Principles Policy Statement (by Act) with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
(2) Government response to parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Environmental Principles Policy Statement (by Act) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
Agreement, done at Tallinn on 31 March and 8 November 2021, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Termination of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments signed at London on 12 May 1994 (by Command) (CP 787) (Secretary James Cleverly)
Exchange of Notes, done at Washington on 28 December and 29 December 2022, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America extending the Exchange of Notes Concerning the Use of Wideawake Airfield on Ascension Island by Civil Aircraft (Air Links and Alternate Aerodrome Agreement) (by Command) (CP 789) (Secretary James Cleverly)