UK Parliament No. 254)

Contents

Chamber business

The House met at 2.30 pm.

Prayers

1Introduction of new Member

Hannah Kathrine Spencer, Member for Gorton and Denton, was sworn.

2Questions to the Secretary of State for Education

3Statement: Middle East (Prime Minister)

4Autonomous Maritime Vessels (Regulation) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)

Rebecca Smith, supported by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, David Simmonds, Gregory Stafford, Sir Julian Lewis and David Reed, presented a Bill to make provision about the regulation of autonomous surface and submersible maritime vessels; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 17 April, and to be printed (Bill 394).

5Representation of the People Bill: Second Reading

Motion made and Question proposed, That the Representation of the People Bill be now read a second time.

Amendment proposed, to leave out from ‘That’ to the end of the Question and add ‘this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Representation of the People Bill because reducing the voting age from 18 to 16 is inconsistent with and contradictory to other aspects of the Government’s position on ages of majority and citizenship; automatic voter registration will lead to less accurate electoral registers and open the door to fraud; the Bill has been drafted without proper engagement with political parties; the Rycroft review into foreign financial interference in UK politics has yet to report; it does not include effective measures to tackle foreign interference from China and other hostile actors; and it believes that it would be preferable to proceed with a new Bill in the next Session of Parliament, following the report of the Rycroft review and proper consultation with political parties.’.—(Sir James Cleverly.)

The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The House divided.

Division No. 435

Ayes: 105 (Tellers: Sir Ashley Fox, Jerome Mayhew)

Noes: 410 (Tellers: Jake Richards, Deirdre Costigan)

Question negatived.

Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 62(2)), That the Bill be now read a second time.

Question agreed to and Bill read a second time.

6Representation of the People Bill: Programme

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Representation of the People Bill:

Committal

(1) The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Public Bill Committee

(2) Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 23 April 2026.

(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

(4) Proceedings on Consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

(5) Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

(6) Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

(7) Any other proceedings on the Bill may be programmed.—(Samantha Dixon.)

Question agreed to.

7Representation of the People Bill: Money

King’s Recommendation signified.

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 52(1)(a)), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Representation of the People Bill, it is expedient to authorise:

(1) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under or by virtue of any other Act out of money so provided,

(2) the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of that Fund, and

(3) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.—(Samantha Dixon.)

Question agreed to.

8Deferred Divisions

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 41A(3)), That, at this day’s sitting, Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply to the Motions (i) in the name of Secretary Steve Reed relating to Representation of the People Bill: Carry-over and (ii) in the name of Secretary Douglas Alexander relating to Constitutional Law.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

9Representation of the People Bill: Carry-over

Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 80A(1)(a)), That if, at the conclusion of this Session of Parliament, proceedings on the Representation of the People Bill have not been completed, they shall be resumed in the next Session.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

10Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval

(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Schedule 5) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 17 December 2025, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Caribbean Development Bank (Eleventh Replenishment of the Special Development Fund (Unified)) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 8 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 14 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(4) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 15 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(5) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 15 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(6) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 19 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(7) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Merchant Shipping (General Lighthouse Authorities) (Increase of Borrowing Limit) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 21 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(8) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 26 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

(9) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 26 January, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Question agreed to.

11Adjournment

Subject: Safeguarding in small religious organisations (Sam Carling)

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gen Kitchen.)

Adjourned at 10.47 pm until tomorrow.

Other Proceedings

Lords Messages

12Rare Cancers Bill

The Lords agree to the Rare Cancers Bill without amendment.