Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
Prayers
1Questions to the Secretary of State for Education
2Statements: (1) Security vetting (Prime Minister)
Zarah Sultana, Member for Coventry South, was named by the Speaker for disregarding the authority of the Chair (Standing Order No. 44).
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 44), That Zarah Sultana be suspended from this House.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
Ordered, That Zarah Sultana be suspended from the service of the House.
The Speaker then directed Zarah Sultana to withdraw from the House.
Accordingly the Member withdrew from the House.
4Statements: (1) Security vetting (Prime Minister) (resumed)
(2) Antisemitic attacks (Dan Jarvis)
5Application for emergency debate (Standing Order No. 24)
Mrs Kemi Badenoch proposed that the House should debate the Government's accountability to the House in connection with the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States of America (Standing Order No. 24).
The Speaker put the application to the House.
Leave given.
Debate to take place tomorrow at the commencement of public business for up to three hours.
6Victims and Courts Bill: Consideration of Lords Message
The Deputy Speaker announced that Lords Amendments 4B and 4C engaged financial privilege.
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendments 4B and 4C.—(Alex Davies-Jones.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
Amendment (a) made to the Bill in lieu of Lords Amendments 4B and 4C.
Lords Amendments 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E and 5F agreed to.
Lords Amendments 6B and 6C agreed to.
7Crime and Policing Bill: Consideration of Lords Message
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendments 2D and 2E but proposes in lieu of those Amendments Amendment (a) to its Amendment 2B, and Amendment (b) to its Amendment 2C.—(Sarah Jones.)
The House divided.
Division No. 489
Ayes: 293 (Tellers: Gregor Poynton, Jade Botterill)
Noes: 159 (Tellers: James Wild, Jerome Mayhew)
Question agreed to.
Motion made and Question put, That this House insists on its disagreement with the Lords in their Amendment 11 but proposes Amendments (a) to (d) to the Bill in lieu.—(Sarah Jones.)
The House divided.
Division No. 490
Ayes: 294 (Tellers: Jade Botterill, Gregor Poynton)
Noes: 156 (Tellers: James Wild, Jerome Mayhew)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendments 265D to 265H agreed to.
Motion made and Question put, That this House insists on its disagreement with the Lords in their Amendment 342, but does not insist on its Amendment 342A in lieu, and proposes Amendments (a) and (b) to the Bill in lieu of Lords Amendment 342.—(Sarah Jones.)
The House divided.
Division No. 491
Ayes: 294 (Tellers: Jade Botterill, Gregor Poynton)
Noes: 61 (Tellers: Claire Young, Zöe Franklin)
Question agreed to.
Motion made and Question put, That this House insists on its disagreement with the Lords in their Amendments 359 and 439 but proposes Amendments (a) and (b) to the Bill in lieu.—(Sarah Jones.)
The House divided.
Division No. 492
Ayes: 292 (Tellers: Gregor Poynton, Jade Botterill)
Noes: 158 (Tellers: James Wild, Jerome Mayhew)
Question agreed to.
8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 26 February, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft National Employment Savings Trust (Amendment) Order 2026, which was laid before this House on 26 February, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
(3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on 2 March, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
Subject: Government support for community owned assets (Anneliese Dodds)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gen Kitchen.)
At 10 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Stephen Morgan.)
Adjourned at 10.07 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
The Lords do not insist on certain of their Amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to which the Commons have disagreed; they agree without amendment to certain Amendments proposed by the Commons in lieu of the Lords Amendments to the Bill; they agree without amendment to certain Amendments made by the Commons to the Lords Amendments to the Bill; they agree to certain Amendments made by the Commons in lieu of the Lords Amendments to the Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; they do insist on their Amendment to which the Commons have disagreed, for which insistence they assign their Reason and do disagree with the Amendment in lieu proposed by the Commons; and they do insist on certain of their Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed, for which insistence they assign their Reasons.
11Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill
The Lords agree without amendment to certain Commons Amendments in lieu of Lords Amendments to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill; they agree to an Amendment made by the Commons in lieu of a Lords Amendment to the Bill, with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; they insist on certain Lords Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed, for which they assign their Reason and they do disagree with the Amendments in lieu proposed by the Commons; they do not insist on certain Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed.
The Lords insist on certain Amendments to the Pension Schemes Bill to which the Commons have disagreed for which they assign their Reason; they do not insist on certain Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed, but do propose Amendments in lieu to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; they insist on certain Amendments for which they assign their Reason and disagree to certain Amendments to the words restored to the Bill by the Commons disagreement to certain Lords Amendments; they do not insist on certain Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed.
Printing of Lords Messages
Lords Message relating to the Bill to be considered on Monday 20 April, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A (Bill 425).
14Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Lords Message relating to the Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 427).
Lords Message relating to the Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 428).
Changes to Notices Given
16Animal Shelters (Licensing) Bill
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
17Vehicle Registration Documents (Sale of Vehicle) Bill
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
18Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
19Managing Agents (Regulation) Bill
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
20Letter Boxes (Positioning) Bill
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
21BBC Licence Fee Non-Payment (Decriminalisation for Over-75s) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 24 April, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
General Committees: Reports
22Representation of the People Bill
Sir Desmond Swayne (Chair) reported the Bill, as amended.
Bill, as amended, to be considered tomorrow; and to be printed (Bill 418).
23First Delegated Legislation Committee
Carolyn Harris (Chair) reported the draft Train Driving Licences and Certificates (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).
24First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Fleur Anderson discharged and Feryal Clark nominated in substitution.
25Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games) Regulations 2026)
Members: Jess Asato and Fred Thomas discharged and Gareth Snell and Luke Murphy nominated in substitution.
26Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Capital Requirements Regulation (Market Risk Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 and draft Credit Institutions and Investment Firms (Miscellaneous Definitions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Sarah Olney discharged and Steve Darling nominated in substitution.
27Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and draft Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) (Amendment) Regulations 2026)
Members: Lincoln Jopp discharged and Mr Andrew Snowden nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports relating to orders for printing made during the adjournment under Standing Order No. 137
Friday 17 April
Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written evidence, to be published (HC 385) (Clerk of the House).
Saturday 18 April
Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written evidence, to be published (HC 385) (Clerk of the House).
Select Committees: Reports made on Monday 20 April
Emily Thornberry reported:
(1) That the Committee had agreed that the negative procedure should apply, as proposed, to the instrument titled:
The European Communities (Immunities and Privileges of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) (Revocation) Regulations 2026;
(2) UK-EU Treaty on Gibraltar: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1838);
(3) Correspondence with the Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Northern Europe, at TikTok relating to the harassment of BBC Persian journalists: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Minister for Migration and Citizenship relating to the impact of the visa brake on Chevening Scholars: Written evidence, to be published.
The impact of serious and organised crime on local neighbourhoods: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1721) (Dame Karen Bradley).
32National Security Strategy (Joint Committee on)
Societal resilience: A national conversation: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1841) (Matt Western).
33Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Accountability in small government bodies: Seventy-seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 887);
(2) The Bank of England’s Real-Time Gross Settlement Renewal Programme: Seventy-eighth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1732);
(3) Financial resilience of government-sponsored museums and galleries: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1799);
(4) Afghanistan response route: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1391);
(5) Correspondence from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to the European Union Finances Statement 2025: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Minister for Courts and Legal Services: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence from the Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending relating to fire safety improvement works programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Correspondence from the Minister for the Cabinet Office relating to simplifying government processes to drive delivery: Written evidence, to be published;
(9) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education relating to the Schools White Paper: Written evidence, to be published;
(10) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Written evidence, to be published;
(11) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport relating to the HS2 Parliamentary Report: Written evidence, to be published;
(12) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office relating to the Accounting Officer Assessment for the asylum accommodation programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(13) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the local audit backstop: Written evidence, to be published;
(14) DWP follow-up: Autumn 2025: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1447);
(15) Financial sustainability of adult hospices in England: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1236);
(16) Government compensation schemes: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1228);
(17) Improving family court services for children: Written evidence, to be published (HC 883);
(18) Jobcentres: Written evidence, to be published (HC 823);
(19) Large business tax compliance: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1802);
(20) MoD Annual Report and Accounts 2024–25: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1798);
(21) MoD’s oversight of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association: Written evidence, to be published (HC 893);
(22) NAO financial audit insights 2024–25: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1783);
(23) Northern Powerhouse Rail: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1800);
(24) The Access to Work scheme: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1766);
(25) The MoD’s tackling of economic crime and misconduct: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1733);
(26) The UK’s F-35 stealth fighter capability: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1232)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 4.30 pm.
Debate on an e-petition (Standing Orders No. 10(1)(a) and No. 145A(7))
Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 751174 relating to a Maternity Commissioner.—(Tony Vaughan.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 6.50 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dan Tomlinson)
Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Increase of Borrowing Limits) Order 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Douglas Alexander)
Draft Contracts for Difference (Allocation) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Charities Acts 1992 and 2011 (Substitution of Sums) Order 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 427), dated 17 April 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Stephanie Peacock)
Investigatory Powers (Communications Data) (Relevant Public Authorities) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 426), dated 15 April 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)
Papers laid under paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023
Proposal for an instrument titled European Communities (Immunities and Privileges of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) (Revocation) Regulations 2026, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Chris Elmore)
Other papers
Treasury Minute, dated 20 April 2026, concerning the Meteorological Office Trading Fund (by Act) (James Murray)
Report of the House of Commons Commission on External members of the House of Commons Commission: Nomination of Candidates, to be printed (HC 1790) (The Speaker)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for Education: Responding to changing demand for school places (by Act), to be printed (HC 1818) (Clerk of the House)
Explanatory Memorandum to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 395) (by Command) (Sir Stephen Timms)
Withdrawn papers
Explanatory Memorandum to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 395) (laid 9 April)
SPEAKER’S CERTIFICATES
VOTING BY PROXY (STANDING ORDER NO. 39A)
(Variations to existing arrangements appear in bold.)
|
Member |
From |
To |
Proxy |
|
Pete Wishart |
20 April |
15 May |
Brendan O’Hara |
|
Saqib Bhatti |
23 February |
19 August |
Mike Wood |
|
Llinos Medi |
20 April |
15 May |
Ben Lake |
CORRECTIONS
Thursday 16 April 2026
(1) Item 30 should have read as follows:
Hospices and Palliative Care Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 17 April, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 8 May.
(2) The following item should have appeared after item 75 (General Committees: Reports):
[] Courts and Tribunals Bill Committee
Christine Jardine (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.