Contents
Chamber business
No. 109
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Speaker’s Statement: Vacation of seat (Runcorn and Helsby)
Ordered, That, on the twenty-sixth day of March, the Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the County Constituency of Runcorn and Helsby, in the room of Michael Lee Amesbury who, since his election to the said County Constituency, has been appointed to the Office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham, in the county of Buckingham.—(Sir Alan Campbell.)
3Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
4Statement: Welfare reform (Secretary Liz Kendall)
5Freight crime: 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 recording and investigation of freight crime; and for connected purposes;
That Rachel Taylor, Shaun Davies, Sarah Coombes, David Burton-Sampson, Kirith Entwistle, Catherine Fookes, Christine Jardine, Josh Newbury, Antonia Bance, Mrs Sureena Brackenridge, Alex Ballinger and Sarah Edwards present the Bill.
Rachel Taylor accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 20 June, and to be printed (Bill 202).
6Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Further consideration of the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee (second day)
New Clause NC17—(Catherine McKinnell)—brought up, read the first and second time, and added to the Bill.
New Clause NC7—(Munira Wilson)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 127
Ayes: 77 (Tellers: Tessa Munt, Susan Murray)
Noes: 313 (Tellers: Christian Wakeford, Anna Turley)
Question negatived.
New Clause NC34—(Adrian Ramsay)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 128
Ayes: 77 (Tellers: Siân Berry, Carla Denyer)
Noes: 315 (Tellers: Christian Wakeford, Anna Turley)
Question negatived.
Amendments 132 to 135, 20 to 31, 136 to 138, 32, 139, 33, 140, 34 to 69, 141, 70 to 78, 142 to 144, 79 to 81, 145 to 148, 82, 149, 83 to 89, 150, 90, 151 to 153, 91, 92 and 154 to 168 made.
Amendment 209 proposed.—(Laura Trott.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 129
Ayes: 107 (Tellers: Nick Timothy, Mr Andrew Snowden)
Noes: 324 (Tellers: Christian Wakeford, Anna Turley)
Question negatived.
Amendment 210 proposed.—(Laura Trott.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 130
Ayes: 167 (Tellers: Mr Andrew Snowden, Nick Timothy)
Noes: 324 (Tellers: Christian Wakeford, Anna Turley)
Question negatived.
Amendments 169, 170, and 93 to 110 made.
Consideration completed.
7Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Third Reading
Motion made and Question put, That the Bill be read the third time.
The House divided.
Division No. 131
Ayes: 382 (Tellers: Christian Wakeford, Anna Turley)
Noes: 104 (Tellers: Mr Andrew Snowden, Nick Timothy)
Question agreed to and Bill passed.
8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Online Procedure Rules (Specified Proceedings) Regulations 2025, which were laid before this House on 29 January, be approved.—(Jeff Smith.)
Question agreed to.
9Business of the House (19 March)
Ordered, That, at the sitting on Wednesday 19 March, business in the name of the Leader of the Opposition shall be treated as being taken on an allotted half day provided under paragraph (2)(b) of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) and, notwithstanding paragraph (2)(c) of that Standing Order, may be entered upon at any hour and may be proceeded with, though opposed, for three hours; proceedings shall then lapse if not previously disposed of; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Lucy Powell.)
Subject: Potential merits of making St Patrick's Day a UK bank holiday (Jim Shannon)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Jeff Smith.)
Adjourned at 8.22 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
General Committees: Reports
11Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill Committee
Dr Andrew Murrison (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 205).
12Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill
Matt Western (Chair) reported the Bill as amended.
Bill, as amended, to be considered tomorrow; and to be printed (Bill 204).
13Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Committee
Sir Roger Gale (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
Select Committees: Reports
Record of the Committee’s discussions at its meeting on 18 March, to be published (Nick Smith).
15Business and Trade Committee
Liam Byrne reported:
(1) That the Committee had agreed that the negative procedure should apply, as proposed, to the instruments titled:
The Companies (Directors’ Remuneration and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Companies Act 2006 (Recognition of Third Country Qualifications and Practical Training) (Amendment) Regulations 2025;
(2) Post Office Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business: Government response to the Committee’s First Report: Fourth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 778);
(3) Industrial strategy: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 727);
(4) Correspondence from the Association of Investment Companies: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Secretary of State: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Make work pay: Employment Rights Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 370);
(7) Rip off Britain: Dynamic pricing and consumer protection: Written evidence, to be published (HC 700).
16Culture, Media and Sport Committee
The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Written evidence, to be published (HC 330) (Dame Caroline Dinenage).
(1) Global Combat Air Programme: Government Response: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 799);
(2) Women in the Armed Forces: Follow-up: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 404);
(3) Correspondence with Permanent Secretary relating to the Equipment Plan: Written evidence, to be published
(Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi).
(1) Children’s social care: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 430);
(2) Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 665)
(Helen Hayes).
(1) Soft power: A strategy for UK success?: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 791);
(2) The future of the BBC World Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 384)
(Emily Thornberry).
(1) Asylum accommodation: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 580);
(2) Correspondence from the Minister for Migration and Citizenship relating to the extension of the interim Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration: Written evidence, to be published
(Dame Karen Bradley).
21Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
(1) Grenfell and building safety: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 780);
(2) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government relating to the regulator of social housing chair: Written evidence, to be published
(Florence Eshalomi).
(1) Work of the County Court: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 677);
(2) Correspondence from the Chief Executive of HMCTS relating to the HMCTS Reform Programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Director of Public Prosecutions relating to the Crown Prosecution Service Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Minister for Courts and Legal Services: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary relating to her departure from the Ministry of Justice: Written evidence, to be published
(Andy Slaughter).
Correspondence with the Prime Minister: Written evidence, to be published (Dame Meg Hillier).
Record of the Committee’s decisions relating to e-petitions, to be published (Jamie Stone).
25Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
*This item has been added since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings for Wenesday 19 March 2025.
(1) Review of the 2024 general election: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 487);
(2) Correspondence from the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority relating to the strategy for the statistical system: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Commissioner for Public Appointments relating to publication of his Annual Report 2023–24: Written evidence, to be published
(Simon Hoare).
Outside employment and interests: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 620) (Alberto Costa)
(1) Buses connecting communities: Written evidence, to be published (HC 494);
(2) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport relating to the strategic road network review and smart motorways stocktake: Written evidence, to be published
(Ruth Cadbury).
(1) Appointment of Niamh Moloney to the Prudential Regulation Committee:
(i) Fourth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 783);
(ii) Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 783);
(2) Correspondence from the Financial Conduct Authority relating to the funeral provider Safe Hands: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Work of HM Treasury: Written evidence, to be published (HC 687);
(4) Work of the Financial Ombudsman Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 685)
(Dame Meg Hillier).
Correspondence relating to the Recall of MPs Act 2015
Text of the communication received by The Speaker:
Chester Magistrates' Court
Grosvenor Street
Chester
CH1 2XA
25 February 2025
Dear Sir
Re: Notification of Imprisonment of a Member of the House of Commons
Please find enclosed a certified court extract in respect of Michael Amesbury, who was sentenced at Chester Magistrates' Court on 24 February 2025.
An appeal against sentence has been received and referred to Chester Crown Court.
Yours faithfully
Susan Redmond
Team Leader
(Part of) Court Extract
Offence 1: Assault by beating
Allocation decision: Summary-only offence
Plea: Guilty, 16 January 2025
Conviction date: 16 January 2025
Results: To pay compensation of £200.00. Defendant's guilty plea taken into account when imposing sentence. Committed to prison for 10 weeks.
30Result of an appeal against the conviction of a Member
Text of the communication received by The Speaker:
Chester Crown Court
The Castle
Chester
CH1 2AN
10 March 2025
Dear Speaker’s Office
Re: Mr Mike Amesbury
In response to your e-mail received at 19:46hrs on 6th March by Chester Crown Court.
Please accept this letter as confirmation that on 27th February 2025 Chester Crown Court heard the appeal of Mr Mike Amesbury against the sentence imposed by the Chester Magistrates court on Monday 24th February.
The appeal against sentence was allowed and the sentence that was imposed by Chester Magistrates court of 10 weeks imprisonment was varied to 10 weeks imprisonment suspended for 2 years, with the following conditions:
Unpaid work 200 hours
Alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 120 days
Anger management course
Rehabilitation Activity Requirement 20 days to facilitate anger management course
Any breaches reserved to HHJ Everett
If the parties believe there were grounds for a ‘case stated’ or ‘judicial review’ then they have 21 days from the date of the appeal to lodge an application.
Yours sincerely
Kate Clough
Delivery Manager
Sir 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))
Resolved, That this House has considered free school meals.—(Liz Jarvis.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.48 am and 10.59 am.
Resolved, That this House has considered step-free access at stations.—(Mr Paul Kohler.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.23 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Role of shipyards in economic growth
Resolved, That this House has considered the role of shipyards in economic growth.—(Richard Baker.)
The sitting was suspended between 3.52 pm and 4.30 pm.
4Military collaboration with Israel
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the matter of military collaboration with Israel.—(Shockat Adam.)
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)).
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of military collaboration with Israel.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.29 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Other papers
Equality (Race and Disability) Bill: mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting Government consultation (by Command) (CP 1288) (Seema Malhotra)
Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working (by Command) (CP 1297) (Secretary Liz Kendall)