Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
(2) the Prime Minister
2Urgent Questions: (1) Northern Ireland Troubles: Legacy and Reconciliation (Secretary Hilary Benn)
(2) Puberty Suppressants Trial (Secretary Wes Streeting)
3Statements: (1) UK-EU Common Understanding negotiations (Nick Thomas-Symonds)
(2) Local Government Finance (Alison McGovern)
(3) Ineos Chemicals: Grangemouth (Chris McDonald)
4Afghanistan Schemes Data Breaches (Independent Public Inquiry) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
James MacCleary, supported by Calum Miller, Monica Harding, Richard Foord, Helen Maguire and Cameron Thomas, presented a Bill to make provision for establishing an independent public inquiry into data breaches by the Ministry of Defence and other public bodies relating to applicants to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy Scheme and Afghanistan Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme; to provide the inquiry with the power to question Ministers, former Ministers, officials and other relevant persons about the circumstances surrounding such breaches, including action taken in response to the breaches and decisions taken by the Government in relation to legal proceedings in respect of the breaches; to require the inquiry to report within one year of its establishment; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 16 January 2026, and to be printed (Bill 350).
5Leases (Integrated Retirement Communities) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Dr Andrew Murrison presented a Bill to make provision about leases for occupancy of premises in integrated retirement communities; to make provision about any fees associated with such leases; to make provision about the regulation of operators of integrated retirement communities; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 16 January 2026, and to be printed (Bill 352).
6Youth Services: 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 delivery of youth services by local authorities, including services under section 507B of the Education Act 1996; to require local authorities to specify groups of young people to receive particular services for the purposes of personal and social development of people in those groups; to make provision about the inclusion of youth services in arrangements for the inspection of children’s services and social care services; to make provision about targets for the delivery of youth work and measurement of delivery against those targets; to require local authorities to consult users and prospective users of youth services about the provision of those services; and for connected purposes;
That Natasha Irons, Dr Lauren Sullivan, Josh Dean, Jim Dickson, Shockat Adam, Vikki Slade, Mrs Sharon Hodgson, Abtisam Mohamed, Gareth Snell, Afzal Khan, Rachael Maskell and Kim Johnson present the Bill.
Natasha Irons accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 16 January 2026, and to be printed (Bill 353).
7National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill: Second Reading
Motion made and Question put, That the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill be now read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 395
Ayes: 312 (Tellers: Imogen Walker, Lilian Greenwood)
Noes: 165 (Tellers: Harriet Cross, Paul Holmes)
Question agreed to and Bill read a second time.
8National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) 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 four 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 five 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.—(Jade Botterill.)
Question agreed to.
9Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Oil and Gas Authority (Carbon Storage and Offshore Petroleum) (Specified Periods for Disclosure of Protected Material) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 24 November, be approved.—(Jade Botterill.)
Question agreed to.
(1) A public petition from residents of North Yorkshire relating to Knaresborough Castle was presented and read by Tom Gordon.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Macclesfield and neighbouring boroughs relating to a proposed new town in Adlington, Cheshire was presented and read by Tim Roca.
Subject: Workplace safety and water-fed poles in the window cleaning industry (Dr Andrew Murrison)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Jade Botterill.)
Adjourned at 7.30 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Private Business
12Committee on Unopposed Bills (Panel) (Standing Order 111, relating to Private Business)
Jessica Morden (Chair) reported, That the Committee of Selection had discharged Amanda Martin from the panel of Members from which to select Members to serve on any Committee on Unopposed Bills and had appointed the following Members to that panel: Stuart Anderson, Edward Argar, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Susan Murray, and Claire Young.
General Committees: Reports
13Third Delegated Legislation Committee
Sir Alec Shelbrooke (Chair) reported the draft Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025.
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).
Chairs: Paula Barker, Wera Hobhouse, Sir Alec Shelbrooke and Matt Western
15First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Corporation Tax Act 2010 (Part 8C) (Amendment) Regulations 2025)
Chair: Graham Stringer
Members: Julia Buckley, Jacob Collier, Daisy Cooper, Steve Darling, Gareth Davies, Mark Ferguson, Afzal Khan, Kit Malthouse, Tristan Osborne, Rebecca Paul, Mr Richard Quigley, Joani Reid, Blake Stephenson, Will Stone, Alistair Strathern, Dan Tomlinson and Yuan Yang
16Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Application to Immigration Officers and Designated Customs Officials in Northern Ireland) and Consequential Amendments Regulations 2026)
Chair: David Mundell
Members: Fleur Anderson, Alex Baker, Jess Brown-Fuller, Damien Egan, Sally Jameson, Mr Paul Kohler, Katie Lam, Noah Law, Alex McIntyre, Perran Moon, Stephen Morgan, Alex Norris, Jack Rankin, Tulip Siddiq, Robin Swann, Matt Vickers and Chris Vince
17Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles: Glue Traps) Regulations 2025)
Chair: Graham Stuart
Edward Argar, Olivia Blake, Aphra Brandreth, Anna Dixon, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Sarah Dyke, Dame Angela Eagle, Tim Farron, Sir Ashley Fox, Vicky Foxcroft, Louise Haigh, Dr Neil Hudson, Luke Myer, Andrew Pakes, Jeff Smith, Euan Stainbank and Imogen Walker
18Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025)
Members: Sam Carling and Amanda Hack discharged and Ben Goldsborough and Mike Reader nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
19Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Revisiting the nuclear roadmap: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 735) (Bill Esterson).
20Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Environment in Focus:
(i) Seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1310);
(ii) Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1310);
(2) Flood resilience in England: Government Response: Sixth Special Report, to be printed (HC 1591);
(3) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the publication of Government Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Ivory Act 2018: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) The Seventh Carbon Budget: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1327)
(Mr Toby Perkins).
21Health and Social Care Committee
(1) The work of NHS England: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 563);
(2) Correspondence from the Advertising Standards Authority: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Department: Written evidence, to be published
(Layla Moran).
22Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) Human Rights and the Regulation of AI: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1262);
(2) Correspondence from the Interim Head of the National Preventive Mechanism relating to the National Preventive Mechanism Annual Report 2024–25: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Independent Public Advocate relating to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls relating to the Victims and Courts Bill: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence with the Chair of the Care Quality Commission relating to human rights in care settings: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence with the Home Secretary relating to facial recognition: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Legislative scrutiny: Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1437);
(8) Transnational repression in the UK: Written evidence, to be published (HC 681)
(Sir Desmond Swayne).
(1) Call lists: Written evidence, to be published (HC 536);
(2) Correspondence with the Leader of the House relating to Estimates day debates: Written evidence, to be published
(Cat Smith).
(1) Mossmorran closure: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1564);
(2) Connectivity in Scotland: Digital connectivity: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1461);
(3) Connectivity in Scotland: Fixed links: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1460);
(4) Industrial transition in Scotland: Written evidence, to be published (HC 729);
(5) Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1442)
(Patricia Ferguson).
Correspondence from Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP relating to the Committee on Standards’ Fourth Report of Session 2024–26: Written evidence, to be published (Alberto Costa).
26Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Forty-third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 291-xliii) (Sir Bernard Jenkin).
Railways Bill: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1472) (Ruth Cadbury).
(1) Prisons, probation and rehabilitation in Wales: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 702);
(2) The work of the Crown Estate in Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 833)
(Ruth Jones).
29Women and Equalities Committee
Reproductive health conditions: girls and young women: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1265) (Sarah Owen).
(1) Employment support for disabled people: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1227);
(2) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transformation: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State for Education: Written evidence, to be published
(Debbie Abrahams).
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))
1Potential impact of proposed asylum reforms on people with protected characteristics seeking asylum
Resolved, That this House has considered the potential impact of proposed asylum reforms on people with protected characteristics seeking asylum.—(Kirsty Blackman.)
2Ashgate Hospice and palliative care in north Derbyshire
Resolved, That this House has considered Ashgate Hospice and palliative care in north Derbyshire.—(Mr Toby Perkins.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Cumulative impacts of housing development
Resolved, That this House has considered the cumulative impacts of housing development.—(Damian Hinds.)
4Neurodiversity in the workplace
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered neurodiversity in the workplace.—(Sarah Hall.)
At 4.30 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
5Government support for membership-based charity organisations
Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for membership-based charity organisations.—(Dame Caroline Dinenage.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.15 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Douglas Alexander)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Government of Wales Act 2006 (Devolved Welsh Authorities) (Amendment) Order 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1297), dated 10 December 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Jo Stevens)
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1331), dated 15 December 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Ian Murray)
Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1340), dated 15 December 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Olivia Bailey)
5Government Resources and Accounts
Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) (Amendment) Order 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1336), dated 16 December 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (James Murray)
Merchant Shipping (Safety Measures for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel and Special Personnel) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1298), dated 15 December 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Other papers
(1) Contracts for Difference and Capacity Market Scheme Update 2025 (by Act), to be printed (HC 1590) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
(2) Statutory Security of Supply Report for 2025 (by Act), to be printed (HC 1464) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Report and Accounts of the Competition Appeal Tribunal and Competition Service for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1556) (Clerk of the House)
9Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers)
Post Implementation Review of the Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020 (by Statutory Instrument) (Secretary Emma Reynolds)
10Financial Services and Markets
Joint Response from the Financial Conduct Authority and the Payment Systems Regulator to HM Treasury’s recommendations on payments regulation (by Act) (The Chancellor of the Exchequer)
Trust Statement of the Gambling Commission for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1449) (Ian Murray)
12Government Resources and Accounts
(1) Report and Accounts of Armed Forces Pension Scheme (Incorporating the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme) for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1309) (James Murray)
(2) Report and Accounts of the Commission for Local Administration in England (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1582) (Secretary Steve Reed)
13Government Resources and Accounts (Audit of Non-profit making Companies)
Report and Accounts of United Kingdom Anti-Doping Limited for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument), to be printed (HC 1542) (Stephanie Peacock)
14Government Resources and Accounts (Audit of Public Bodies)
Report and Accounts of Sir John Soane’s Museum for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument), to be printed (HC 1547) (Ian Murray)
15Housing, Communities and Local Government
(1) Report and Accounts of the Leasehold Advisory Service for 2024–25 (by Command) (CP 1465) (Secretary Steve Reed)
(2) Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document (by Command) (CP 1464) (Samantha Dixon)
Report and Financial Statements of the British Film Institute Group and National Lottery for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1445) (Ian Murray)
17Social Security Administration
Account of the Social Fund for 2024–25, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1535) (Clerk of the House)
HM Treasury Minute, dated 17 December 2025, concerning the notification of a contingent liability arising from the National Savings and Investments transition from a single supplier to a multi-supplier delivery model (by Command) (Lucy Rigby)
SPEAKER’S CERTIFICATE
VOTING BY PROXY (STANDING ORDER NO. 39A)
(Variations to existing arrangements appear in bold.)
|
Member |
From |
To |
Proxy |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Matt Bishop |
24 November |
9 January 2026 |
Sir Nicholas Dakin |