Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
The Clerk at the Table informed the House of the absence of the Speaker from this day’s sitting, pursuant to leave given on 28 January.
Ms Nusrat Ghani, the Chairman of Ways and Means, proceeded to the Table.
Prayers
Ms Nusrat Ghani, the Chairman of Ways and Means, took the Chair as Deputy Speaker (Standing Order No. 3).
3Private Bills: City of London (Markets) Bill: Second Reading
Bill read a second time and committed.
4Questions to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade
5Urgent Question: Avian influenza (Daniel Zeichner)
The Deputy Speaker suspended the sitting for five minutes.
7Urgent Question: Women’s health strategy (Karin Smyth)
8Business Question (Leader of the House)
9Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Secretary Yvette Cooper, supported by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary David Lammy, Pat McFadden, Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Secretary Hilary Benn, Secretary Ian Murray, Secretary Bridget Phillipson, Secretary Jo Stevens and Dame Angela Eagle, presented a Bill to make provision about border security; to make provision about immigration and asylum; to make provision about sharing customs data and trailer registration data; to make provision about articles for use in serious crime; to make provision about serious crime prevention orders; to make provision about fees paid in connection with the recognition, comparability or assessment of qualifications; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Monday 3 February, and to be printed (Bill 173) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 173–EN).
(1) Proportional representation for general elections
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered proportional representation for general elections.—(Alex Sobel.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
(2) Future of local Post Office services
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the future of local Post Office services.—(Gideon Amos.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
(1) A public petition from residents of the constituency of North Durham relating to Chester-le-Street Post Office was presented and read by Luke Akehurst.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Stockton West relating to free 1-hour parking in Yarm was presented and read by Matt Vickers.
Subject: Repairs to Doncaster Royal Infirmary (Sally Jameson)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gerald Jones.)
At 5 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gerald Jones.)
Adjourned at 5.10 pm until Monday 3 February.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages relating to Private Bills
13Royal Albert Hall Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed a Bill to amend certain provisions of the Royal Albert Hall Act 1966 relating to the annual contribution payable by the Members of the Corporation towards the general purposes of the Royal Albert Hall; and to make further provision regarding the exclusion of the Members from the hall, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
First Reading of Lords Bills
14Royal Albert Hall Bill [Lords]
Bill read the first time and referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills.
General Committees: Reports
15Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Committee
Graham Stringer (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
16Finance Bill (except Clauses 7 to 12, Schedules 1 and 2, Clauses 15 to 18, Schedule 3 and Clauses 47 to 53) Committee
Valerie Vaz (Chair) reported:
(1) written evidence submitted to the Committee; and
(2) the Bill (except Clauses 7 to 12, Schedules 1 and 2, Clauses 15 to 18, Schedule 3 and Clauses 47 to 53) as amended.
Written evidence to be published.
Bill, as amended, to be considered on Monday 3 February, and to be printed (Bill 171).
17Tobacco and Vapes Bill Committee
Mark Pritchard (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 Monday 3 February; and to be printed (Bill 172).
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).
18Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Electricity Capacity (Amendment) Regulations 2025)
Members: Baggy Shanker discharged and John Whitby nominated in substitution.
19Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025)
Members: John Slinger discharged and Markus Campbell-Savours nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
20Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 6 February in the Chamber and Thursday 13 February, Tuesday 25 February, Thursday 27 February, Tuesday 4 March and Thursday 13 March in Westminster Hall (Bob Blackman).
21Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and International Development Committee
The future of the BBC World Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 529) (Dame Caroline Dinenage).
22Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Carbon capture, usage and storage: Eighth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 351);
(2) Tax evasion in the retail sector: Ninth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 355);
(3) Use of AI in Government: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 356)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Deputy 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))
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of medicinal cannabis.—(Jim Shannon.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 2.41 pm until Monday 3 February.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Police Grant Report (England and Wales) for 2025–26 (by Act), to be printed (HC 621) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Data Protection (Law Enforcement) (Adequacy) (Isle of Man) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 89), dated 27 January 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 94), dated 28 January 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Catherine McKinnell)
4Financial Services and Markets
Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Digital Securities Sandbox) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 93), dated 28 January 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Emma Reynolds)
Agreement, done at Ljubljana on 6 and 12 December 2024, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Slovenia on the Termination of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, done at Ljubljana on 3 July 1996 (by Command) (CP 1266), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary David Lammy)
Other papers
The Humanitarian Medal (by Command) (CP 1262) (Nick Thomas-Symonds)
Strengthening oversight of partnership delivery in higher education (by Command) (CP 1255) (Janet Daby)
8Energy, Security and Net Zero
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (by Command) (CP 1250) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Secretary of State determination of fishing opportunities for British fishing boats (by Act) (Secretary Steve Reed)
Report and Accounts of Forestry England for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 678) (Secretary Steve Reed)
11Government Resources and Accounts
(1) Report and Accounts of the Animal and Plant Health Agency for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 619) (Secretary Steve Reed)
(2) Report and Accounts of the Department for Business and Trade for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 391) (James Murray)
Government Response to the Report of the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee (by Command) (CP 1235) (Secretary Wes Streeting)
High Speed Rail Vocational Qualifications Report for 2022–23 (by Act) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Report and Accounts of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 697) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Strategic Plan of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner for 2024–26 (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Road to recovery: the Government's 2025 mandate to NHS England (by Act) (Secretary Wes Streeting)
17Small Business, Enterprise and Employment
Report and Accounts of the Pubs Code Adjudicator for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 454) (Justin Madders)
Accounts of the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing Charging Scheme for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument), to be printed (HC 558) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Withdrawn papers
Agreement, done at Ljubljana on 6 and 12 December 2024, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Slovenia on the Termination of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, done at Ljubljana on 3 July 1996 (CP 1231), with an Explanatory Memorandum (laid 18 December 2024)
20Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Secretary of State determination of fishing opportunities for British fishing boats (CP 1206) (laid 20 December 2024)