Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Scotland
(2) the Prime Minister
2Urgent Question: Office for Environmental Protection investigation into failures to comply with environmental law in relation to combined sewer overflows (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
3Asbestos (national register): 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 a national register of asbestos present in non-domestic premises and of the condition of that asbestos; and for connected purposes;
That Andrew Percy, Jane Hunt, Tracey Crouch, Sir Stephen Timms, Martin Docherty-Hughes, Holly Mumby-Croft, Ian Lavery and Ben Lake present the Bill.
Andrew Percy accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 24 November, and to be printed (Bill 354).
4Procurement Bill [Lords]: Programme (No. 2)
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Procurement Bill [Lords] for the purpose of supplementing the Order of 9 January 2023 (Procurement Bill [Lords]: Programme):
Consideration of Lords Message
(1) Proceedings on the Lords Message shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion two hours after their commencement.
Subsequent stages
(2) Any further Message from the Lords may be considered forthwith without any Question being put.
(3) The proceedings on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.—(Steve Double.)
Question agreed to.
5Procurement Bill [Lords]: Consideration of Lords Message
Lords Amendment 102B
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 102B.—(Alex Burghart.)
The House divided.
Division No. 326
Ayes: 274 (Tellers: Steve Double, Robert Largan)
Noes: 194 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Christian Wakeford)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 102B accordingly disagreed to.
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83H(2)), That a Committee be appointed to draw up a Reason to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to their Amendment 102B.
That Kirsty Blackman, Alex Burghart, James Daly, Chris Elmore, Peter Gibson, Nia Griffith and Julie Marson be members of the Committee;
That Alex Burghart be the Chair of the Committee;
That three be the quorum of the Committee;
That the Committee do withdraw immediately.—(Scott Mann.)
Question agreed to.
6Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill: Consideration of Lords Message
The Deputy Speaker announced that Lords Amendment 161B engaged Commons financial privilege.
Lords Amendments 23B and 23C
Motion made and Question put, That this House agrees with the Lords in their Amendments 23B and 23C.—(Kevin Hollinrake.)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendments 23B and 23C accordingly agreed to.
Lords Amendments 151B and 151C
Motion made, and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendments 151B and 151C and insists on its Amendment 151A.—(Kevin Hollinrake.)
The House divided.
Division No. 327
Ayes: 276 (Tellers: Andrew Stephenson, Robert Largan)
Noes: 210 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Christian Wakeford)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendments 151B and 151C accordingly disagreed to and Commons Amendment 151A accordingly insisted upon.
As it was more than one hour after the commencement of proceedings, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on the Lords Message to a conclusion (Programme Order, 4 September).
The following Question was put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83G).
That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 161B and insists on its Amendment 161A (Question on any motion moved by a Minister of the Crown relevant to the Lords Message).—(Kevin Hollinrake.)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 161B accordingly disagreed to and Commons Amendment 161A accordingly insisted upon.
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83H(2)), That a Committee be appointed to draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to their Amendments 151B and 151C and insisting on Commons Amendment 151A, and for disagreeing to their Amendment 161B and insisting on Commons Amendment 161A;
That Rushanara Ali, Kevin Hollinrake, Scott Mann, Taiwo Owatemi, Jane Stevenson, James Sunderland and Alison Thewliss be members of the Committee;
That Kevin Hollinrake be the Chair of the Committee;
That three be the quorum of the Committee;
That the Committee do withdraw immediately.—(Fay Jones.)
Question agreed to.
7Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism
Motion made and Question proposed, That the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2023, which was laid before this House on 6 September, be approved.—(Secretary Suella Braverman.)
The Deputy Speaker announced the results of the Division which had been deferred to this day (Standing Order No. 41A).
Exiting the European Union
That the draft Windsor Framework (Enforcement etc.) Regulations 2023, which were laid before this House on 4 September, be approved.
Division No. 325
Ayes: 434
Noes: 10
Question accordingly agreed to.
9Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (resumed)
The House resumed the debate.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved, That the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2023, which was laid before this House on 6 September, be approved.
A public petition from residents of the constituency of Ealing Central and Acton relating to 150 years of Notting Hill and Ealing High School was presented and read by Dr Rupa Huq.
Subject: Funding for residential co-operative power production (Dr Jamie Wallis)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mike Wood.)
Adjourned at 4.28 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
The Lords agree to the Commons Amendments to the Energy Bill [Lords] and they propose an Amendment instead of the words left out of the Bill to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
13Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill
The Lords do not insist on their Amendments to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill.
14Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill
The Lords agree to the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
15Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill
The Lords agree to the Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill without amendment.
Printing of Lords Messages
Lords Message in relation to the Energy Bill [Lords] to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 366).
Reasons Committees: Reports
17Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill: Reasons Committee
Kevin Hollinrake reported that the Committee had agreed the following Reasons:
Lords Amendment 151B and 151C:
Because it would be disproportionate to apply the new clause inserted by Lords Amendment 151 to bodies other than large organisations.
Lords Amendment 161B:
Because it would alter the financial arrangements made by the Commons, and the Commons do not offer any further Reason, trusting that this Reason may be deemed sufficient.
18Procurement Bill [Lords]: Reasons Committee
Alex Burghart reported that the Committee had agreed the following Reason:
Lords Amendment 102B
Because it is unnecessary to have a specific discretionary exclusion ground for involvement in forced organ harvesting in light of the ground for professional misconduct and the lack of evidence that any supplier to the UK public sector has been involved in forced organ harvesting.
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).
19First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Revocation and Sunset Disapplication) Regulations 2023)
(1) Chair: Graham Stringer
(2) Members: Paul Blomfield, Samantha Dixon, Anna Firth, Vicky Ford, Patrick Grady, Luke Hall, Sir Oliver Heald, Kate Hollern, Rebecca Long Bailey, Justin Madders, Dean Russell, Royston Smith, James Sunderland, Michael Tomlinson, Craig Whittaker, Sammy Wilson and Mike Wood
20Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Courts (Prescribed Recordings) Order 2023)
(1) Chair: Dame Angela Eagle
(2) Members: Bim Afolami, Tonia Antoniazzi, Sarah Atherton, Aaron Bell, Richard Burgon, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Virginia Crosbie, Alex Cunningham, Mike Freer, Sally-Ann Hart, Sir Greg Knight, Scott Mann, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Mary Robinson, Sam Tarry, Mick Whitley and Beth Winter
Select Committees: Reports
(1) Service accommodation: Oral evidence taken before the Sub-Committee, to be published (HC 1749);
(2) Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Defence, relating to Service Accommodation: Written evidence, to be published
(Robert Courts).
22Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
(1) Preparing for the winter: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1720);
(2) The work of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1549);
(3) A flexible Grid for the future: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Keeping the power on: our future technology mix: Written evidence, to be published
(Angus Brendan MacNeil).
* This item has been corrected since publication. See the correction in the Votes and Proceedings relating to Monday 18 September 2023.
PESCO and UK-EU Defence Cooperation: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1347) (Sir William Cash).
24National Security Strategy (Joint Committee on)
(1) The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund: Second Report, to be printed with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1389);
(2) Ransomware: Written evidence, to be published (HC 850)
(Margaret Beckett).
(1) Correcting the record: Written evidence, to be published (HC 521);
(2) The procedure of the House of Commons and the territorial constitution: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1716)
(Karen Bradley).
26Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Forty-seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 4-xlvii) (Jessica Morden).
27Statutory Instruments (Select Committee on)
Nineteenth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 5-xix) (Jessica Morden).
Accessible transport: legal obligations: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 580) (Iain Stewart).
(1) Financial services regulation consultations: Oral and written evidence, taken before the Sub-Committee on Financial Services Regulations, to be published (HC 1149);
(2) Multi-occupancy building insurance: Written evidence, taken before the Sub-Committee on Financial Services Regulations, to be published (HC 1711)
(Harriett Baldwin).
30Women and Equalities Committee
(1) So-called honour-based abuse: Government response to the Committee’s Sixth Report: Sixth Special Report, to be printed (HC 1821);
(2) Equality and the UK asylum process: Government response to the Committee’s Fourth Report: Seventh Special Report, to be printed (HC 1825);
(3) Misogyny in music: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 317);
(4) Correspondence with the Minister for the Cabinet Office: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence with the Minister for Women and Equalities: Written evidence, to be published;
(Caroline Nokes).
(1) Benefit levels in the UK: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1126);
(2) Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to Work Capability Assessment Consultation: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Health and Safety Executive: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Minister for Employment relating to DWP decision making: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Minister for Immigration relating to public funds listed in the Immigration Rules: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence with the Minister for Pensions relating to the AET pension scheme: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence with the Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression relating to RAAC and buildings used to deliver DWP services: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Defined benefit pension schemes: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1218)
(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))
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered railway ticket offices.—(Chris Loder.)
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)).
At 11.00 am, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
2Border Target Operating Model for food and biosecurity
Resolved, That this House has considered the Border Target Operating Model for food and biosecurity.—(Mrs Natalie Elphicke.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3High street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas
The sitting was suspended between 2.51pm and 3.15pm for a division in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas.—(Jack Brereton.)
At 4.25 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 14(4)).
Resolved, That this House has considered World Sepsis Day.—(Christina Rees.)
5Energy supply market and small businesses
Resolved, That this House has considered the energy supply market and small businesses.—(Robin Millar.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.51 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Justification Decision (Scientific Age Imaging) Regulations 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alex Chalk)
2Terms and conditions of employment
Draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kemi Badenoch)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Auctioning (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 994), dated 12 September 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Gareth Davies)
4Political Parties, Elections and Referendums
Draft Code of Practice for Non Party Campaigners (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dehenna Davison)
Armed Forces Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 998), dated 6 September 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dr Andrew Murrison)
Other papers
Explanatory Memorandum to Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 1715) (by Command) (Secretary Suella Braverman)
Department for Business and Trade Minute, dated 13 September 2023, concerning the notification of a contingent liability relating to the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (by Command) (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
Report of the Social Mobility Commission: State of the Nation 2023: People and Places (by Act) (Secretary Kemi Badenoch)
Explanatory Memorandum to the Merchant Shipping (Counting and Registration of Persons on Board Passenger Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 787) (by Command) (Secretary Mark Harper)
Report and Accounts of South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust for 2022–23 (by Act) (Secretary Steve Barclay)
11Political Parties, Elections and Referendums
Report and Accounts of the Electoral Commission for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1566) (The Speaker)
Exchange of Notes, done at Dublin on 3 August and 16 August 2023, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland on the Joint Procurement of Works, Supplies and Services to Achieve the Aims of Delivering a Safe, Reliable and Cost-Effective Navigation Service (by Command) (CP 940) (Secretary James Cleverly)
Withdrawn papers
Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 1715) (laid 19 July)
Draft Stockton-on-Tees (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2023 (laid 11 July)
Explanatory Memorandum to the Merchant Shipping (Counting and Registration of Persons on Board Passenger Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 787) (laid 19 July)
SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATES
VOTING BY PROXY
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), that Helen Whately is eligible to have a proxy vote cast on her behalf, starting on 13 September and finishing on 20 October. The nominated proxy is Mr Marcus Jones.
2Resumption of proxy voting arrangement
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), that Amy Callaghan has given notice that she wishes to resume her proxy voting arrangement. Her period of proxy voting will now end on 10 April 2024.