Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(2) the hon. Member representing the Church Commissioners and the Rt hon. Member representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
2Business Question (Leader of the House)
3Statement: Middle East (Secretary David Lammy)
The Deputy Speaker reported that the King had signified Royal Assent to the following Acts under the Royal Assent Act 1967:
Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Act 2025
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Act 2025
Financial Assistance to Ukraine Act 2025
5Statements: (1) Government response to the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report (Pat McFadden)
(2) Child sexual exploitation and abuse (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Performance of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House notes that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continues to need substantial reform, as recognised by the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review (IMMDS), with patient safety concerns persisting and exacerbating since the review’s publication in 2020; believes that the MHRA’s 2017 expert working group report on Primodos was deeply flawed, with IMMDS later concluding the drug had caused avoidable harm; further notes that the yellow card system for reporting suspected adverse drug reactions is failing, with no process for following up on serious or fatal reactions and conflicts of interest, with 75% of the MHRA’s funding being derived from industry fees, a concern raised in the Fourth Report of Session 2004-05 of the Health Committee, The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry, HC 42-I, published on 5 April 2005; also notes the MHRA’s delayed response to reports of myocarditis, pericarditis and vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia following covid-19 vaccination, despite action from regulators in other countries; and calls on the Government to fully implement the recommendations in the IMMDS review and to acknowledge the harm done to patients and the financial burden on the healthcare system as a result of the MHRA’s widespread regulatory failures.—(Esther McVey.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
Subject: Future of UK air defence (Dr Andrew Murrison)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mark Tami.)
Adjourned at 6.28 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
8Financial Assistance to Ukraine Bill
The Lords agree to the Financial Assistance to Ukraine Bill without amendment.
Changes to Notices Given
9Trade Agreements (Exclusion of National Health Services) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 17 January, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 7 March.
General Committees: Reports
10Employment Rights Bill Committee
*This item has been corrected since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings relating to Tuesday 21 January 2025.
Sir Christopher Chope (Chair) reported:
(1) written evidence submitted to the Committee; and
(2) the Bill, as amended.
Written evidence to be published.
Bill, as amended, to be considered tomorrow; and to be printed (Bill 163).
11Tobacco and Vapes Bill Committee
Peter Dowd (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
12Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords] Committee
Dr Rupa Huq (Chair) reported:
(1) written evidence submitted to the Committee; and
(2) the Bill, as amended.
Written evidence to be published.
Bill, as amended, to be considered on Tuesday 28 January; and to be printed (Bill 162).
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).
13Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Heat Networks (Market Framework) (Great Britain) Regulations 2025)
Members: Bradley Thomas discharged and John Cooper nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
14Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Monday 20 January in the Chamber and Thursday 30 January, Tuesday 4 February and Thursday 13 February in Westminster Hall (Bob Blackman).
15Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) HMRC Customer Service and Accounts 2023–24: Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 347);
(2) Tackling homelessness: Fourth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 352);
(3) NHS financial sustainability: Fifth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 350)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Sir 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))
1Government support for the marine renewables industry
Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for the marine renewables industry.—(Mr Alistair Carmichael.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 3.25 pm until Monday 20 January.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Draft Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Torsten Bell)
Other papers
Government Response to the Module 1 Report of the Covid-19 Inquiry (by Command) (CP 1240) (Pat McFadden)
Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (by Command) (Andrew Gwynne)
Withdrawn papers
Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (laid 6 January)
SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATE
VOTING BY PROXY (STANDING ORDER NO. 39A)
(Variations to existing arrangements appear in bold.)
|
Member |
From |
To |
Proxy |
|
Sarah Gibson |
16 January |
15 February |
Anna Sabine |