Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1General Cemetery Bill [Lords]: Third Reading
Bill read the third time and passed.
2Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(2) the hon. Member representing the Church Commissioners and the hon. Member representing the House of Commons Commission
3Urgent Question: Official Secrets Act case: Publication of witness statements (Chris Ward)
4Business Question (Leader of the House)
5Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: Second Reading
Bill read a second time.
6Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill:
Committal
(1) The Bill shall be committed to a Committee of the whole House.
Proceedings in Committee, on Consideration and on Third Reading
(2) Proceedings in Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after their commencement.
(3) Any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion four hours after the commencement of proceedings in Committee of the whole House.
(4) Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings in Committee of the whole House, to any proceedings on Consideration or to proceedings on Third Reading.
Other proceedings
(5) Any other proceedings on the Bill may be programmed.—(Stephen Morgan.)
Question agreed to.
7Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: Ways and Means
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 52(1)(a)), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill, it is expedient to authorise the imposition of charges or fees under or by virtue of the Act.—(Stephen Morgan.)
Question agreed to.
Subject: Government support for children's hospices in the South East (Alison Bennett)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Stephen Morgan.)
Adjourned at 3.49 pm until Monday 20 October.
Other Proceedings
General Committees: Reports
9English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Committee
Valerie Vaz (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
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).
10First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice (Alteration of Overall Compensation Limits) Order 2025)
Chair: Martin Vickers
11Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Companies (Directors’ Report) (Payment Reporting) Regulations 2025)
Chair: Valerie Vaz
12Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Definition of Relevant Land) (Amendment) Order 2025)
Chair: Dr Rosena Allin-Khan
13Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Financial Services (Overseas Recognition Regime Designations) Regulations 2025)
Chair: Sir Roger Gale
14Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Control of Mercury (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations 2025)
Chair: Emma Lewell
Select Committees: Reports
15Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Wednesday 22 October in the Chamber and Thursday 23 October, Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 October in Westminster Hall (Bob Blackman).
16Foreign Affairs Committee, Home Affairs Committee, Justice Committee and National Security Strategy (Joint Committee on)
Espionage cases and the Official Secrets Acts: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1414) (Matt Western).
(1) The work of the Border Security Command: Oral evidence and written evidence, to be published (HC 1321);
(2) Harnessing the potential of new digital forms of identification: Written evidence, to be published (HC 986)
(Dame Karen Bradley).
18Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Smarter delivery of public services: Forty-eighth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 889);
(2) Administration of civil service pensions:
(i) Forty-ninth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 888);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published (HC 888);
(3) Government services: Generating income: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 890);
(4) Afghan Response Route: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1391);
(5) Collecting the right tax from wealthy individuals: Written evidence, to be published (HC 827);
(6) Correspondence from the Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance relating to the department’s recent transaction with JLR: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to supply estimates for Excess Votes: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Correspondence from the Minister for Courts and Legal Services at the Ministry of Justice: Written evidence, to be published;
(9) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Department for Business and Trade relating to the Department’s response to Vol. 1 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report: Written evidence, to be published;
(10) Correspondence from the Permanent Under Secretary and Second Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office relating to Overseas Development Assistance: Written evidence, to be published;
(11) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury relating to the UK Asset Resolution’s Annual Report and Accounts: Written evidence, to be published;
(12) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Written evidence, to be published;
(13) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Business and Trade relating to the Growth Mission Fund: Written evidence, to be published;
(14) Correspondence relating to the Committee’s previous Reports: Written evidence, to be published;
(15) Ministry of Justice follow-up: Autumn 2025: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1240);
(16) Public charge points for electric vehicles; Written evidence, to be published (HC 512);
(17) Resilience to threats from animal disease: Written evidence, to be published (HC 885);
(18) Tackling Violence against Women and Girls: Written evidence, to be published (HC 644);
(19) Tax evasion in the retail sector: Written evidence, to be published (HC 355);
(20) The UK’s F-35 stealth fighter capability: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1232);
(21) Water sector regulation: Written evidence, to be published (HC 824)
(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))
1Select Committee Statement (Standing Order No. 22D)
Publication of the Third Report of the Health and Social Care Committee, Black Maternal Health, HC 895 (Paulette Hamilton)
Resolved, That this House has considered World Menopause Day.—(Carolyn Harris.)
The sitting was suspended between 3.01pm and 3.10 pm.
3Ada Lovelace Day and Government support for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered Ada Lovelace Day and Government support for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.—(Lizzi Collinge.)
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 Ada Lovelace Day and Government support for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 4.25 pm until Monday 20 October.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Permitted Disclosures) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary David Lammy)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Social Security (Scotland Cross-border Consequential Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1089), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Andrew Western)
(1) Designation of Special Tax Sites (Anglesey Freeport) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1079), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dan Tomlinson)
(2) Designation of Special Tax Sites (Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1080), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dan Tomlinson)
School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1081), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Georgia Gould)
Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1093), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dan Tomlinson)
Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1085), dated 14 October 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Other papers
Report and Accounts of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1283) (Secretary David Lammy)
Government Response to the Report by the Office for Environmental Protection on a review of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and their role in contributing to nature recovery commitments in England (by Act) (Secretary Emma Reynolds)
9Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of the Legal Aid Agency for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1276) (Secretary David Lammy)
Report and Accounts of the Consolidated Fund for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1328) (Clerk of the House)
CORRECTION
Wednesday 15 October 2025
Item 13 (Printing of Lords Messages) should have read:
Renters’ Rights Bill
Lords Message relating to the Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 314).