UK Parliament No. 35)

Contents

Chamber business

The House met at 2.30 pm.

Prayers

1Introduction of new Member

Nigel Farage, Member for Clacton, was sworn.

2Speaker’s Statement: Resignations of the Chairs of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, the Justice Committee and the Women and Equalities Committee, and arrangements for the election of successors

3Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

4Statements: (1) Direction of government (Prime Minister)

(2) Criminal justice reform (Secretary Alex Norris)

5Deputy Speaker's Statement: Waiver of sub judice rule (Cleveland cases)

6Statement: Policing in Cleveland (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)

7Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order 2023 (Revocation) Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)

Mr Richard Holden, supported by Claire Coutinho, Andrew Bowie, Sir Gavin Williamson, Richard Fuller, Jerome Mayhew, Greg Smith, Mr Gagan Mohindra, Katie Lam, Rebecca Paul, Rebecca Smith and Joe Robertson, presented a Bill to revoke the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order 2023; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 15 January 2027, and to be printed (Bill 134).

8Greyhound Racing Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)

Lisa Smart, supported by Liz Jarvis, Anna Sabine, Tom Gordon, Will Stone, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Cat Eccles, Dr Simon Opher, Hannah Spencer, Alison Hume and Irene Campbell, presented a Bill to prohibit the racing of greyhounds on racetracks in England; to create offences in connection with the organising of, and the keeping, breeding or training of greyhounds for, such racing; to make provision about the welfare and rehoming of greyhounds retired from racing; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 19 March 2027, and to be printed (Bill 135).

9Road safety plans: Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require local authorities in England to prepare and publish a road safety plan in respect of each school in their area; and for connected purposes;

That Adam Jogee, Anna Dixon, Callum Anderson, Dame Karen Bradley, Mrs Elsie Blundell, Sarah Russell, Dr Al Pinkerton, Leigh Ingham, Simon Hoare, Dr Allison Gardner, Jacob Collier and Anna Gelderd present the Bill.

Adam Jogee accordingly presented the Bill.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 16 October, and to be printed (Bill 136).

10Business of the House (Today)

Ordered, That, at this day's sitting,

(i) the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of the Chancellor of the Exchequer relating to Sovereign Grant not later than two hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion for this Order, or at 10.00 pm, whichever is the later; such Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved; proceedings on that Motion may continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply; and

(ii) the business determined by the Backbench Business Committee may be proceeded with for up to 90 minutes or until 10.00 pm, whichever is the later, and shall then lapse if not previously disposed of; those proceedings may be entered upon and may continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Sir Alan Campbell.)

11Sovereign Grant

Resolved, That—

(1) provision be made amending the Sovereign Grant Act 2011—

(a) to specify the amount of the Sovereign Grant for the financial year 2027–28;

(b) to specify the percentage of the income account net surplus of the Crown Estate to be used by the Royal Trustees to determine the amount of the Sovereign Grant in subsequent financial years;

(c) to confer a duty and a power on the Treasury to specify the amount of the Sovereign Grant in subsequent financial years in certain circumstances; and

(d) for connected purposes;

(2) any increase attributable to such provision in the sums payable under that Act should be payable out of money provided by Parliament.—(Dan Tomlinson.)

12Sovereign Grant Bill

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the foregoing Resolutions;

That the Chairman of Ways and Means, the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Alex Norris and Dan Tomlinson present the Bill.

Dan Tomlinson accordingly presented a Bill to specify the amount of the Sovereign Grant for the financial year 2027–28 and the percentage of the income account net surplus of the Crown Estate to be used by the Royal Trustees to determine the amount of the Sovereign Grant in subsequent financial years; to confer a duty and a power on the Treasury to specify the amount of the Sovereign Grant in subsequent financial years in certain circumstances; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the first time, to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 137) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 137–EN).

13Backbench Business

Impact of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation

Resolved, That this House notes the critical threat that Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) pose to press freedom, public interest research, and the right of citizens and campaigners to speak out on matters of public concern; recognises that SLAPPs predominately target individuals, including private citizens, utilising novel legal tactics, with the weaponisation of libel law and data protection claims and the aggressive use of injunctions, which often come hand in hand with other forms of harassment including smear campaigns and surveillance; further recognises that the anti-SLAPP provisions within the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 are ineffective due to their complexity and insufficient due to their narrow focus on economic crime; further notes the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) view that the 'main way to address the problem of SLAPPs is through a robust legislative solution that gives the courts more powers', and that SRA regulation will inevitably be severely limited absent a new law; highlights concerns over the suppression of public interest information and acts of public participation in the absence of a universally applicable anti-SLAPP law; and also recognises the urgent need for the Government to find a legislative vehicle for simple, comprehensive anti-SLAPP provisions that filter out abusive lawsuits swiftly and fairly.—(Alex Sobel.)

14Adjournment

Subject: Sudden cardiac death in young people (Greg Smith)

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Jade Botterill.)

House adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 9(7)).

Adjourned at 10.51 pm until tomorrow.

Other Proceedings

Disqualification of Members

15Disqualification of a Member

Notification, laid upon the Table by the Speaker, That Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer had today appointed Sir Keir Starmer, Member for Holborn and St Pancras, to be Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern.

Lords Messages

16Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill [Lords]

The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision for the protection of purchasers and users of air transport and airport services; to make provision about airspace change, air traffic and air navigation services and airport slots and schedules; to confer power on the Civil Aviation Authority to make rules; to make provision about aviation offences; and for connected purposes, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

17Sporting Events Bill [Lords]

The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision for enabling a common set of legislative provisions to be applied to major sporting events held in the United Kingdom; to confer power to provide financial assistance in relation to sporting events held in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

18Draft Conversion Practices Bill (Joint Committee on)

The Lords have come to the following Resolution, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons:

That it is expedient that a Joint Committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider and report on the draft Conversion Practices Bill presented to both Houses on 25 June 2026 (CP 1604), and that the Committee should report on the draft Bill by 22 January 2027.

First Reading and Printing of Lords Bills

19Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill [Lords]

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Tuesday 1 September, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Order No. 57A (Bill 132), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 132–EN).

20Sporting Events Bill [Lords]

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Tuesday 1 September, and to be printed pursuant to Standing No. 57A (Bill 133), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 133–EN).

Explanatory Notes to Bills

21Infants, Parents and Carers Bill

Explanatory Notes to the Bill to be printed (Bill 13–EN).