Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
2Statement: Action against Houthi maritime attacks in the Red Sea (The Prime Minister)
4Statement: Business (Leader of the House)
5Children Not in School (National Register and Support) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Bridget Phillipson, supported by Catherine McKinnell, presented a Bill to provide for a national register of children who are not pupils at any school; to require local authorities to provide data about such children in their area for the purpose of maintaining that register; to make provision about the support that local authorities provide to such children; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Wednesday 7 February, and to be printed (Bill 149).
6Offensive Weapons: Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about the weapons to which section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 applies; and for connected purposes;
That Helen Hayes, Wendy Morton, Florence Eshalomi, Marsha De Cordova, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Alex Norris, Dawn Butler, Abena Oppong-Asare, Catherine West, Mr Virendra Sharma, Fleur Anderson and Seema Malhotra present the Bill.
Helen Hayes accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 23 February, and to be printed (Bill 148).
7Opposition Day Leader of the Opposition (Third allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))
(1) Children not in school (national register and support)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House condemns the Secretary of State for Education for her failure to tackle the crisis of persistent school absence; calls on the Government to immediately introduce legislation to amend the Education Act 1996 in order to establish a mandatory duty on local authorities in England to maintain a register of eligible children not in school, as set out in Part 3 of the Schools Bill [Lords] published in the 2022–23 Parliamentary session; and therefore makes provision as set out in this Order:
(1) On Wednesday 7 February 2024:
(a) Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order) shall not apply;
(b) any proceedings governed by this order may be proceeded with until any hour, though opposed, and shall not be interrupted;
(c) the Speaker may not propose the question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private);
(d) at 3.00pm, the Speaker shall interrupt any business prior to the business governed by this order and, notwithstanding the practice of this House as regards to proceeding on a Bill without notice, call the Member for Houghton and Sunderland South or another Member on her behalf to move the order of the day that the Children Not in School (National Register and Support) Bill be now read a second time;
(e) in respect of that Bill, notices of Amendments, new Clauses and new Schedules to be moved in Committee may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before the Bill has been read a second time;
(f) any proceedings interrupted or superseded by this order may be resumed or (as the case may be) entered upon and proceeded with after the moment of interruption.
(2) The provisions of paragraphs (3) to (18) of this order shall apply to and in connection with the proceedings on the Children Not in School (National Register and Support) Bill in the present Session of Parliament.
Timetable for the Bill on Wednesday 7 February 2024
(3) (a) Proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be taken at the sitting on Wednesday 7 February 2024 in accordance with this Order.
(b) Proceedings on Second Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 5.00pm.
(c) Proceedings on any money resolution which may be moved by a Minister of the Crown in relation to the Bill shall be taken without debate immediately after Second Reading.
(d) Proceedings in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 7.00pm.
Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put on Wednesday 7 February 2024
(4) When the Bill has been read a second time:
(a) it shall, notwithstanding Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme order), stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;
(b) the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.
(5) (a) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee of the whole House, the Chairman shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.
(b) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.
(6) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (3), the Chairman or Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply—
(a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;
(b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;
(c) the Question on any amendment, new clause or new schedule selected by the Chairman or Speaker for separate decision;
(d) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a designated Member;
(e) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded;
and shall not put any other Questions, other than the Question on any motion described in paragraph (15) of this Order.
(7) On a Motion made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chairman or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.
Consideration of Lords Amendments and Messages on a subsequent day
(8) If any message on the Bill (other than a message that the House of Lords agrees with the Bill without amendment or agrees with any message from this House) is expected from the House of Lords on any future sitting day, the House shall not adjourn until that message has been received and any proceedings under paragraph (9) have been concluded.
(9) On any day on which such a message is received, if a designated Member indicates to the Speaker an intention to proceed to consider that message—
(a) notwithstanding Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order), any Lords Amendments to the Bill or any further Message from the Lords on the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly;
(b) proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under subparagraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed;
(c) the Speaker may not propose the question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private) in the course of those proceedings.
(10) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Standing Order No. 83F (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments to a conclusion as if:
(a) any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member;
(b) after paragraph (4)(a) there is inserted—
“(aa) the question on any amendment or motion selected by the Speaker for separate decision;”.
(11) Paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No. 83G (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on further messages from the Lords) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of a Lords Message to a conclusion as if any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member.
Reasons Committee
(12) Paragraphs (2) to (6) of Standing Order No. 83H (Programme orders: reasons committee) apply in relation to any committee to be appointed to draw up reasons after proceedings have been brought to a conclusion in accordance with this Order as if any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member.
Miscellaneous
(13) Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies.
(14) (a) No Motion shall be made, except by a designated Member, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken, to recommit the Bill or to vary or supplement the provisions of this Order.
(b) No notice shall be required of such a Motion.
(c) Such a Motion may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.
(d) The Question on such a Motion shall be put forthwith; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (c) shall thereupon be resumed.
(e) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on such a Motion.
(15) (a) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies except by a designated Member.
(b) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.
(16) Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.
(17) No private business may be considered at any sitting to which the provisions of this order apply.
(18) (a) The start of any debate under Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates) to be held on a day on which proceedings to which this Order applies are to take place shall be postponed until the conclusion of any proceedings to which this Order applies.
(b) Standing Order 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply in respect of any such debate.
(19) In this Order, “a designated Member” means—
(a) the Member for Houghton and Sunderland South; and
(b) any other Member acting on behalf of the Member for Houghton and Sunderland South.—(Bridget Phillipson.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put.
The House divided.
Division No. 63
Ayes: 189 (Tellers: Jeff Smith, Christian Wakeford)
Noes: 303 (Tellers: Mark Jenkinson, Joy Morrissey)
Question negatived.
(2) Protecting steel in the UK
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House recognises the need to decarbonise steel production; appreciates the pride that local communities have in their historic steelworks; regrets that the Government has pushed through plans for decarbonising steel in the UK which will result in thousands of steelworkers losing their jobs and risk leaving the UK as the first developed country in the world without the capacity to produce primary steel; further regrets that the Government has failed to produce an industrial strategy which could have included a plan for the whole steel sector; believes that primary steel is a sovereign capability and is therefore concerned about the impact that the Government's plans could have on national security; also believes that steel production can have a bright future in the UK; therefore calls on the Government to work with industry and workers to achieve a transition that secures jobs and primary steelmaking for decades to come; and further calls on the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to report to Parliament by 27 February 2024 with an assessment of the impact on the UK of the loss of primary steel production capabilities.—(Jonathan Reynolds.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Sir Alan Campbell claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).
Question put, That the Question be now put.
Question agreed to and Main Question accordingly put.
The House divided.
Division No. 64
Ayes: 223 (Tellers: Jeff Smith, Christian Wakeford)
Noes: 0 (Tellers: Holly Lynch, Andrew Western)
Main Question agreed to.
Resolved, That this House recognises the need to decarbonise steel production; appreciates the pride that local communities have in their historic steelworks; regrets that the Government has pushed through plans for decarbonising steel in the UK which will result in thousands of steelworkers losing their jobs and risk leaving the UK as the first developed country in the world without the capacity to produce primary steel; further regrets that the Government has failed to produce an industrial strategy which could have included a plan for the whole steel sector; believes that primary steel is a sovereign capability and is therefore concerned about the impact that the Government's plans could have on national security; also believes that steel production can have a bright future in the UK; therefore calls on the Government to work with industry and workers to achieve a transition that secures jobs and primary steelmaking for decades to come; and further calls on the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to report to Parliament by 27 February 2024 with an assessment of the impact on the UK of the loss of primary steel production capabilities.
8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 1314), dated 11 December 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 13 December 2023, be approved.—(Joy Morrissey.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 1367), dated 12 December 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 14 December 2023, be approved.—(Joy Morrissey.)
Question agreed to.
(3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 1364), dated 12 December 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 14 December 2023, be approved.—(Joy Morrissey.)
Question agreed to.
(1) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Linlithgow and East Falkirk relating to standing charges on energy bills was presented and read by Martyn Day.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Oxford West and Abingdon relating to local businesses and the closure of the Botley Road in Oxford was presented and read by Layla Moran.
Subject: Revised National Planning Policy Framework (Dame Maria Miller)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Joy Morrissey.)
Adjourned at 7.42 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Changes to Notices Given
11Military Action (Parliamentary Approval) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 26 January, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 23 February.
12Social Security Benefits (Healthy Eating) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 26 January, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 2 February.
13Universal Credit Sanctions (Zero Hours Contracts) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 26 January, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 2 February.
14Affordable Housing (Conversion of Commercial Property) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 2 February, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 1 March.
General Committees: Reports
15Criminal Justice Bill Committee
Sir Robert Syms (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
16Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill Committee
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
17Third Delegated Legislation Committee
Mr James Gray (Chair) reported the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure (HC 341) and the Church of England Pensions (Application of Capital Funds) Measure (HC 342).
18Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee
Martin Vickers (Chair) reported the draft Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2023.
19Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee
Stewart Hosie (Chair) reported the draft Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (Remedial) Order 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).
20Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (Remedial) Order 2023)
Members: Sir Geoffrey Cox, Jill Mortimer and David Simmonds discharged and Matt Vickers, Suzanne Webb and Mike Wood nominated in substitution.
21Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Prescription of Non-Domestic Rating Multipliers) (England) Regulations 2023)
Members: Robert Largan discharged and Mark Jenkinson nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
22Backbench Business Committee
Transcript of representations made on Tuesday 23 January, to be published (Bob Blackman).
23Business and Trade Committee
(1) UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 483);
(2) Employment at McDonald’s franchises: Written evidence, to be published (HC 195);
(3) Post Office and Horizon — Compensation: follow-up: Written evidence, to be published (HC 477);
(4) Private equity and the retail sector: Written evidence, to be published (HC 416)
(Liam Byrne).
24Culture, Media and Sport Committee
(1) British film and high-end television: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 157);
(2) Football governance follow-up: Written evidence, to be published (HC 471)
(Dame Caroline Dinenage).
25Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
(1) Fisheries negotiations: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 491);
(2) Correspondence from Ian Paisley MP relating to blue-green algae: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Chair of the Administration Committee relating to food waste in the House of Commons: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Fairness in the food supply chain: Written evidence, to be published (HC 160);
(5) Urban green spaces: Written evidence, to be published (HC 164);
(6) Vet shortages: Written evidence, to be published (HC 497)
(Sir Robert Goodwill).
The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North Africa: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 300) (Alicia Kearns)
27Health and Social Care Committee
(1) Men’s health: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 139);
(2) Expert Panel: evaluation of the Government’s progress on meeting patient safety recommendations: Written evidence, to be printed (HC 362);
(3) Correspondence from the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence with NICE, NHS England and Daiichi Sankyo Co, Ltd: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence with the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education: Written evidence, to be published
(Steve Brine).
28Holocaust Memorial Bill (Select Committee on the)
(1) Petitioning against the Holocaust Memorial Bill: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 121);
(2) Correspondence from Richard Buxton relating to the Environment Act 2021: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Promoter relating to funding of Holocaust education: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Promoter relating to the Inspector’s conclusions relating to key planning issues: Written evidence, to be published
(John Stevenson).
29International Development Committee
(1) FCDO and disability-inclusive development: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 107);
(2) UK Small Island Developing States Strategy: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 476);
(3) FCDO Annual Report and Accounts 2022–23: Written evidence, to be published (HC 346);
(4) The UK Government’s work on achieving SDG2: Zero Hunger: Written evidence, to be published (HC 112)
(Sarah Champion).
(1) The use of pre-recorded cross-examination under Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 267);
(2) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State relating to the Personal Injury Discount rate: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to the recruitment of HMCI of Probation: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Probate: Written evidence, to be published (HC 520);
(5) Recent urgent notifications on the prison estate: Written evidence, to be published (HC 398);
(6) The Coroner Service: follow up: Written evidence, to be published (HC 490)
(Sir Robert Neill).
31Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
(1) Parliamentary Scrutiny of International Agreements in the 21st Century: Second Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 204);
(2) Civil service leadership and reform: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 201);
(3) Correspondence from the Premier, Government of the British Virgin Islands, relating to UK-BVI relations and governance reform: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office relating to the delay in publishing the review of the UK Statistics Authority: Written evidence, to be published
(Mr William Wragg).
House of Commons standards landscape: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 247) (Ms Harriet Harman).
1) Accessible transport: legal obligations: Written evidence, to be published (HC 82);
2) Correspondence from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero relating to road fuels consultation: Written evidence, to be published;
3) HS2: progress update: Written evidence, to be published (HC 85)
(Iain Stewart).
Small and Medium Enterprise Finance: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 27) (John Baron).
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))
1Future of Girlguiding UK in the British Overseas Territories
Resolved, That this House has considered the future of Girlguiding UK in the British Overseas Territories.—(Jim Shannon.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.37 am and 11 am.
2Regulation of heather burning on peatlands
Resolved, That this House has considered the regulation of heather burning on peatlands.—(Olivia Blake.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.28 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Future of human rights in Hong Kong
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the future of human rights in Hong Kong.—(Tim Loughton.)
At 4 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
4Civil nuclear roadmap and Wylfa
Resolved, That this House has considered the civil nuclear roadmap and Wylfa.—(Virginia Crosbie.)
The sitting was suspended between 4.20 pm and 4.30 pm.
Motion made and the Question proposed, That this House has considered school attendance.—(Vicky Ford.)
The sitting was suspended between 4.58 pm and 5.13 pm for a division in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
Resolved, That this House has considered school attendance.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.44 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) (Energy Intensive Industries) Order 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Claire Coutinho)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Immigration (Restrictions on Employment and Residential Accommodation) (Codes of Practice) (Amendment) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 78), dated 23 January 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Michael Tomlinson)
Designation of Special Tax Sites (Humber Freeport) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 71), dated 22 January 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Nigel Huddleston)
Draft County Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (The Speaker)
Other papers
* This item has been corrected since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings relating to 24 January 2024
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Government’s support for biomass: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (by Act), to be printed (HC 358) (Clerk of the House)
CORRECTION
Monday 22 January 2024
(1) Item 13 (Papers Laid) should not have appeared.
(2) The following item should have appeared after item 8 (Papers subject to Negative
resolution):
() Philippines No. 1 (2024)
Treaty, done at Manila on 26 October 2023, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (CP 1012) (by Command), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (David Rutley)