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
2Human remains (prohibition of sale, purchase and advertising): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to prohibit giving or receiving a reward for the supply of, or for offering to supply, human remains or any object partially consisting of human remains; to prohibit advertising the sale, exchange, or offer of sale or exchange, of human remains or any object partially consisting of human remains; to make provision for specified exemptions from those prohibitions; and for connected purposes;
That Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Siân Berry, Carla Denyer, Jeremy Corbyn, Ms Diane Abbott, Apsana Begum, Dawn Butler, Zarah Sultana and Clive Lewis present the Bill.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 27 February, and to be printed (Bill 379).
3Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (17th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))
Lord Mandelson
Motion made and Question proposed, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, That he will be graciously pleased to give directions to require the Government to lay before this House all papers relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America, including but not confined to the Cabinet Office due diligence which was passed to Number 10, the Conflict of Interest Form Lord Mandelson provided to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), material the FCDO and the Cabinet Office provided to UK Security Vetting about Lord Mandelson’s interests in relation to Global Counsel, including his work in relation to Russia and China, and his links to Jeffrey Epstein, papers for, and minutes of, meetings relating to the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson, electronic communications between the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Lord Mandelson, and between ministers and Lord Mandelson, in the six months prior to his appointment, minutes of meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers in the six months prior to his appointment, all information on Lord Mandelson provided to the Prime Minister prior to his assurance to this House on 10 September 2025 that ‘full due process was followed during this appointment’, electronic communications and minutes of all meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers, Government officials and special advisers during his time as Ambassador, and the details of any payments made to Lord Mandelson on his departure as Ambassador and from the Civil Service.—(Alex Burghart.)
Amendment (a) proposed, at the end of the Question, to add “except papers prejudicial to UK national security or international relations.”.—(Nick Thomas-Symonds.)
Manuscript Amendment to Amendment (a) moved, at the end of Amendment (a), to add "which shall instead be referred to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.".—(Chris Ward.)
Manuscript Amendment to Amendment (a) made.
Amendment (a), as amended, made.
Main Question, as amended, put and agreed to.
Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, That he will be graciously pleased to give directions to require the Government to lay before this House all papers relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America, including but not confined to the Cabinet Office due diligence which was passed to Number 10, the Conflict of Interest Form Lord Mandelson provided to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), material the FCDO and the Cabinet Office provided to UK Security Vetting about Lord Mandelson’s interests in relation to Global Counsel, including his work in relation to Russia and China, and his links to Jeffrey Epstein, papers for, and minutes of, meetings relating to the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson, electronic communications between the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Lord Mandelson, and between ministers and Lord Mandelson, in the six months prior to his appointment, minutes of meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers in the six months prior to his appointment, all information on Lord Mandelson provided to the Prime Minister prior to his assurance to this House on 10 September 2025 that ‘full due process was followed during this appointment’, electronic communications and minutes of all meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers, Government officials and special advisers during his time as Ambassador, and the details of any payments made to Lord Mandelson on his departure as Ambassador and from the Civil Service except papers prejudicial to UK national security or international relations which shall instead be referred to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
The Deputy Speaker announced the results of the Division which had been deferred to this day (Standing Order No. 41A).
Climate Change
That the draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 16 December 2025, be approved.
Division No. 425
Ayes: 392
Noes: 116
Question agreed to.
5Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 13 January, be approved.—(Gregor Poynton.)
The Deputy Speaker's opinion as to the decision on the Question was challenged.
Division deferred until Wednesday 11 February (Standing Order No. 41A).
A public petition from residents of northern Devon relating to the Tarka Line was presented and read by Ian Roome.
Subject: Construction Industry Training Board funding for training groups (Steve Race)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gregor Poynton.)
Adjourned at 7.32 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
General Committees: Reports
8Third Delegated Legislation Committee
Valerie Vaz (Chair) reported the draft Energy-Intensive Industry Electricity Support Payments and Levy (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
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).
9First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026, draft Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Adoptions from Overseas) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and draft Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Parental Order Cases) (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Mr Bayo Alaba, David Baines, Nesil Caliskan, Andrew Cooper, Daisy Cooper, Steve Darling, Gareth Davies, Paul Davies, Kate Dearden, Alison Griffiths, Peter Lamb, Rebecca Paul, Dr Marie Tidball, Melanie Ward, Michael Wheeler, Sir Jeremy Wright and Mohammad Yasin
10Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026)
Members: Andrew Bowie, John Cooper, Harriet Cross, Bobby Dean, Josh Dean, Alan Gemmell, Dame Nia Griffith, Lloyd Hatton, Sir Mark Hendrick, Kirsty McNeill, Susan Murray, Gregor Poynton, Peter Prinsley, Alison Taylor, Henry Tufnell, Pete Wishart and Daniel Zeichner
11Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Energy-Intensive Industry Electricity Support Payments and Levy (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Harriet Cross discharged and Mr Gagan Mohindra nominated in substitution.
12Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Armed Forces Commissioner (Family Definition, and Consequential and Transitional Provision etc.) Regulations 2026)
Members: Jess Asato, Jas Athwal, Daniel Francis, Mr Mark Francois, Tracy Gilbert, Rachel Hopkins, James MacCleary, Abtisam Mohamed, Dr Andrew Murrison, Luke Myer, Ben Obese-Jecty, Darren Paffey, Dr Al Pinkerton, Luke Pollard, David Reed, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Christian Wakeford
13Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Edward Argar, Antonia Bance, Torsten Bell, Alison Bennett, Aphra Brandreth, Richard Burgon, Pam Cox, Maria Eagle, Natalie Fleet, Mark Garnier, Lloyd Hatton, Sonia Kumar, Helen Morgan, Charlotte Nichols, Taiwo Owatemi, Martin Rhodes and Rebecca Smith
Select Committees: Reports
Record of the Committee’s discussions at its meeting on Tuesday 3 February, to be published (Nick Smith).
15Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Building support for the energy transition: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 734) (Bill Esterson).
16Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 852);
(2) Flood resilience in England: Written evidence, to be published (HC 550);
(3) International Climate Negotiations: COP30: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1427);
(4) Revised Environmental Improvement Plan: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1622)
(Mr Toby Perkins).
17Health and Social Care Committee
(1) NHS pilots: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1612);
(2) Correspondence from the Department: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Delivering the neighbourhood health service: Estates: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1567);
(4) Food and weight management: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1181);
(5) Palliative care: Written evidence, to be published (HC 632)
(Layla Moran).
(1) The work of the Home Office: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 505);
(2) Combatting new forms of extremism: Written evidence, to be published (HC 903);
(3) Routes to settlement: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1409)
(Dame Karen Bradley).
19Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) The human rights implications of the UK-Mauritius Agreement: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1662);
(2) Human rights and the regulation of AI: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1262);
(3) Crime and Policing Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 830);
(4) Work of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice and International at the Ministry of Justice: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1549)
(Sir Desmond Swayne).
20Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
* This item has been corrected since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings relating to Thursday 19 March 2026.
(1) Operation Kenova: final report:
(i) Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1580);
(ii) Written evidence, to be published (HC 1580);
(2) Economic growth in Northern Ireland: New and emerging sectors: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1193)
(Tonia Antoniazzi).
(1) Elections within the House of Commons: Fifth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 535);
(2) Written parliamentary questions: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1526)
(Cat Smith).
22Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Forty-seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 291-xlvii) (Sir Bernard Jenkin).
(1) GB Energy and the net zero transition: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 459);
(2) Connectivity in Scotland: Digital connectivity: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1461)
(Patricia Ferguson).
Ruth Cadbury reported:
(1) Sifting of proposed negative Statutory Instruments: Sixth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1679), and including the following recommendation:
That the affirmative procedure should apply to the instrument titled:
The Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2026;
(2) That the Committee had agreed that the negative procedure should apply, as proposed, to the instruments titled:
The Airport Noise-related Operating Restrictions (Amendment) Regulations 2026
The Aviation Security (Amendment, Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2026
The Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2026
The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2026
The Merchant Shipping (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Carbon Dioxide Emissions) (Revocation) Regulations 2026;
(3) Rail investment pipelines: ending boom and bust: Seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 575);
(4) Railways Bill: Eighth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1472);
(5) Correspondence from the Minister of State relating to appointment of the Chair of the British Transport Police Authority: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State relating to legislation changes to aviation security requirements: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State relating to Annual Report to Parliament on Aviation Security Notices and Directions: Written evidence, to be published;,
Work of the Payment Systems Regulator: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 686) (Dame Meg Hillier).
(1) Cross-border healthcare arrangements between England and Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1685);
(2) Prisons, probation and rehabilitation in Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 702)
(Ruth Jones).
27Women and Equalities Committee
(1) Misogyny in music: Follow up: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 573);
(2) Black homelessness: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1505);
(3) Tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse: Written evidence, to be published (HC 336)
(Sarah Owen).
(1) Disability and ill-health in the workplace: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1668);
(2) Child Maintenance Service: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1268);
(3) Correspondence from the Minister for Social Security and Disability: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2024–25: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1654);
(5) Transition to State Pension age: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1482)
(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))
1Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.—(Lorraine Beavers.)
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 administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
2Potential merits of fast-track visas for skilled US citizens
Resolved, That this House has considered the potential merits of fast-track visas for skilled US citizens.—(Christine Jardine.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.21 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Postal services in rural areas
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered postal services in rural areas.—(Stuart Anderson.)
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 postal services in rural areas.
4Use of CCTV for safeguarding purposes in nurseries and early years providers
Resolved, That this House has considered the use of CCTV for safeguarding purposes in nurseries and early years providers.—(Tulip Siddiq.)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered children and armed conflict.—(Sarah Smith.)
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 children and armed conflict.
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
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Immigration (Electronic Travel Authorisations and the Islands) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 87), dated 2 February 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)
Other papers
Renewing Fostering: homes for 10,000 more children (by Command) (CP 1503) (Josh MacAlister)
National Cancer Plan for England: delivering world class cancer care (by Command) (CP 1500) (Ashley Dalton)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for Work and Pensions: The Access to Work scheme (by Act), to be printed (HC 1644) (Clerk of the House)
Supplementary Estimate for the Electoral Commission for 2025–26 (by Act), to be printed (HC 1675) (The Speaker)