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 Attorney General
2Business Question (Leader of the House)
3Statement: New extremism definition and community engagement principles (Secretary Michael Gove)
4Estimates Day (Standing Order No. 54(1) and Resolution, 6 March) (1st allotted day)
(1) Supplementary Estimates 2023–24: Department for Education
Subject: Spending of the Department for Education on special educational needs and disabilities provision
Motion made and Question proposed, That, for the year ending with 31 March 2024, for expenditure by the Department for Education:
(1) further resources, not exceeding £20,997,648,000, be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 500,
(2) the resources authorised for capital purposes be reduced by £304,572,000 as so set out, and
(3) the sum authorised for issue out of the Consolidated Fund be reduced by £912,367,000.—(Mark Fletcher.)
Debate concluded and Question deferred (Standing Order No. 54(4)).
(2) Supplementary Estimates 2023–24: Home Office
Subject: Spending of the Home Office on asylum and migration
Motion made and Question proposed, That, for the year ending with 31 March 2024, for expenditure by the Home Office:
(1) further resources, not exceeding £5,302,799,000, be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 500,
(2) further resources, not exceeding £578,474,000, be authorised for capital purposes as so set out, and
(3) a further sum, not exceeding £3,400,000,000, be granted to His Majesty to be issued by the Treasury out of the Consolidated Fund and applied for expenditure on the use of resources authorised by Parliament.—(Scott Mann.)
Amendment proposed, That resources for use for current purposes be reduced by £740,850,000 relating to asylum and migration.—(Alison Thewliss.)
At 5 pm, the debate was interrupted (Standing Order No. 54(4)).
5Estimates (Questions deferred)
The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 54(6)).
(1) Supplementary Estimate 2023–24: Department for Education
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2024, for expenditure by the Department for Education:
(1) further resources, not exceeding £20,997,648,000, be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 500,
(2) the resources authorised for capital purposes be reduced by £304,572,000 as so set out, and
(3) the sum authorised for issue out of the Consolidated Fund be reduced by £912,367,000.
Question agreed to.
(2) Supplementary Estimate 2023–24: Home Office
That resources for use for current purposes be reduced by £740,850,000 relating to asylum and migration.
The House divided.
Division No. 96.
Ayes: 36 (Tellers: Peter Grant, Gavin Newlands)
Noes: 220 (Tellers: Joy Morrissey, Mark Jenkinson)
Question negatived.
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2024, for expenditure by the Home Office:
(1) further resources, not exceeding £5,302,799,000, be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 500,
(2) further resources, not exceeding £578,474,000, be authorised for capital purposes as so set out, and
(3) a further sum, not exceeding £3,400,000,000, be granted to His Majesty to be issued by the Treasury out of the Consolidated Fund and applied for expenditure on the use of resources authorised by Parliament.
Question agreed to.
The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 55).
(1) Estimates 2024–25 (Navy) Vote A
That, during the year ending with 31 March 2025, a number not exceeding 39,650 all ranks be maintained for Naval and Marine Service and that numbers in the Reserve Naval and Marines Forces be authorised for the purposes of Parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 up to the maximum numbers set out in Votes A 2024–25, HC 529.—(Mike Wood.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Estimates 2024–25 (Army) Vote A
That, during the year ending with 31 March 2025, a number not exceeding 97,710 all ranks be maintained for Army Service and that numbers in the Reserve Land Forces be authorised for the purposes of Parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 up to the maximum numbers set out in Votes A 2024–25, HC 529.—(Mike Wood.)
Question agreed to.
(3) Estimates 2024–25 (Air) Vote A
That, during the year ending with 31 March 2025, a number not exceeding 35,800 all ranks be maintained for Air Force Service and that numbers in the Reserve Air Forces be authorised for the purposes of Parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 up to the maximum numbers set out in Votes A 2024–25, HC 529.—(Mike Wood.)
Question agreed to.
(4) Estimates, Excesses 2022–23
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2023, resources, not exceeding £946,445,000, be authorised to make good excesses for use for current purposes as set out in the Statement of Excesses 2022–23, HC 502.—(Mike Wood.)
Question agreed to.
(5) Supplementary Estimates 2023–24
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2024:
(1) further resources, not exceeding £3,319,371,000, be authorised for use for current purposes as set out in HC 447, HC 500, HC 531, HC 533, HC 575 and HC 587,
(2) the resources authorised for capital purposes be reduced by £11,316,268,000 as so set out, and
(3) a further sum, not exceeding £8,456,085,000, be granted to His Majesty to be issued by the Treasury out of the Consolidated Fund and applied to expenditure on the use of resources authorised by Parliament.—(Mike Wood.)
The House divided.
Division No. 97
Ayes: 218 (Tellers: (Joy Morrissey, Mark Jenkinson)
Noes: 35 (Tellers: Peter Grant, Gavin Newlands)
Question agreed to.
(6) Estimates, Vote on Account 2024–25
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2025:
(1) resources, not exceeding £373,672,234,000 be authorised, on account, for use for current purposes as set out in HC 446, HC 501, HC 549, HC 574, HC 576, HC 586 and HC 615,
(2) resources, not exceeding £98,840,640,000, be authorised, on account, for use for capital purposes as so set out, and
(3) a sum, not exceeding £386,454,679,000, be granted to His Majesty to be issued by the Treasury out of the Consolidated Fund, on account, and applied for expenditure on the use of resources authorised by Parliament.—(Mike Wood.)
Question agreed to.
7Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill: Motion to introduce a Bill
Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the foregoing Resolutions;
That the Chairman of Ways and Means, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Laura Trott, Nigel Huddleston, Bim Afolami and Gareth Davies introduce the Bill.
Nigel Huddleston accordingly presented a Bill to authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2023, 31 March 2024 and 31 March 2025; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for those years; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow and to be printed (Bill 183).
Subject: Future of St Peter's Hospital, Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mike Wood.)
Adjourned at 5.53 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
9Bishop's Stortford Cemetery Bill [Lords]
The Lords agree without amendment to the amendment made by the Commons to the Bishop's Stortford Cemetery Bill [Lords].
Changes to Notices Given
10Unpaid Trial Work Periods (Prohibition) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 15 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 21 June.
General Committees: Reports
11Ninth Delegated Legislation Committee
Valerie Vaz (Chair) reported the draft Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Consequential, Supplementary and Incidental Provisions) Regulations 2024 and the draft Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Financial Penalty) Regulations 2024.
12Tenth Delegated Legislation Committee
Ian Paisley (Chair) reported the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No 218).
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).
13Ninth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Consequential, Supplementary and Incidental Provisions) Regulations 2024 and draft Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Financial Penalty) Regulations 2024)
Members: Dehenna Davidson, Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Antony Higginbotham discharged and Miss Sarah Dines, Joy Morrissey and Steve Tuckwell nominated in substitution.
14Tenth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 218)
Members: Mr Louie French, Richard Graham, Paul Holmes and Dean Russell discharged and Nickie Aiken, Aaron Bell, Peter Gibson and Joy Morrissey nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
15Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 21 March in the Chamber and on Tuesday 26 March, Tuesday 16 April, Thursday 18 April and Tuesday 23 April in Westminster Hall (Ian Mearns).
16Business and Trade Committee
Post Office and Horizon — Compensation: follow-up: Written evidence, to be published (HC 477) (Liam Byrne).
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))
1St Patrick's Day and the contribution of the Irish diaspora to the UK
Resolved, That this House has considered St Patrick's Day and the contribution of the Irish diaspora to the UK.—(Rebecca Long Bailey.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 3.16 pm until Monday 18 March.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Steve Barclay)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Fees) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 362), dated 11 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary James Cleverly)
Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) (Amendment) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 371), dated 13 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Felicity Buchan)
Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command); to be printed (HC 590) (Secretary James Cleverly)
Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 356), dated 12 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Bim Afolami)
(1) Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 347), dated 5 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dr Andrew Murrison)
(2) Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 345), dated 7 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dr Andrew Murrison)
Tribunal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 364), dated 12 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alex Chalk)
Other papers
Return of expenditure incurred and prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981 and incidences of disease in imported animals for the year 2023 (by Act) (Secretary Steve Barclay)
(1) Information Commissioner's Office: Data Protection Fining Guidance (by Act) (Secretary Michelle Donelan)
(2) Information Commissioner's Office: Outcomes Report: Review of the processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism under the Data Protection Act 2018 (by Act) (Secretary Michelle Donelan)
10Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Plan of the Competition and Markets Authority for 2024–25 (by Act) (Secretary Kemi Badenoch)
Report of Healthwatch England for 2022–23 (by Act) (Maria Caulfield)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Decarbonising home heating (by Act), to be printed (HC 581) (Clerk of the House)
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: The Scheme of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs for 2024–25 (by Act), to be printed (HC 616) (The Speaker)