Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
The Clerk at the Table informed the House of the absence of the Speaker from this day’s sitting, pursuant to leave given on 13 October.
Ms Nusrat Ghani, Chairman of Ways and Means, proceeded to the Table.
Prayers
Ms Nusrat Ghani, the Chairman of Ways and Means, took the Chair as Deputy Speaker (Standing Order No. 3).
3Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
4Urgent Question: Sustainable Farming Incentive (Stephen Morgan)
5Business Question (Leader of the House)
6Statement: National Care Service (Alison McGovern)
7Highways (Financing) Bill: Second Reading
Motion made and Question proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from ‘That’ to the end of the Question and add ‘this House, while recognising the urgent need to deliver the Lower Thames Crossing, declines to give a Second Reading to the Highways (Financing) Bill, because it has no confidence in the Government’s ability to deliver the project on time and on budget, given its record of cancelling major road schemes across the country; believes that, without withdrawing from the Aarhus Convention, the costs of the Lower Thames Crossing, and therefore potential costs to its users under this Bill, risk spiralling further out of control; further believes the scope of the Bill should be strictly limited to financing the construction of the Lower Thames Crossing, and rejects the sweeping powers the Bill would grant Ministers to impose new road-charging schemes across England through secondary legislation; and also believes that the Government should not be permitted to introduce additional road-charging schemes across England without parliamentary approval and corresponding reductions in fuel duty to offset those charges.'.—(Mr Richard Holden.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 87
Ayes: 76 (Tellers: David Simmonds, Alicia Kearns)
Noes: 231 (Tellers: Gregor Poynton, Rachel Hopkins)
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.
8Highways (Financing) Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Highways (Financing) 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 Tuesday 24 November 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.—(Simon Lightwood.)
Question agreed to.
9Highways (Financing) 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 Highways (Financing) Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of –
(1) any expenditure incurred under the Act by a Minister of the Crown or by a government department, and
(2) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided.—(Harpreet Uppal.)
Question agreed to.
10Highways (Financing) Bill: Ways and Means
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 52(1)(a)), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Highways (Financing) Bill, it is expedient to authorise the making of provision about income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, value added tax, stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax and stamp duty land tax.—(Harpreet Uppal.)
Question agreed to.
Ordered, That notices of Amendments, new Clauses and new Schedules to be moved in Committee in respect of the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before it has been read a second time.—(Harpreet Uppal.)
Subject: Detention of Jagtar Singh Johal (Douglas McAllister)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Harpreet Uppal.)
At 5 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Claire Hughes.)
Adjourned at 5.18 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
The Lords agree to the Sovereign Grant Bill without amendment.
Changes to Notices Given
Order for Second Reading on Friday 16 October, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 13 November.
General Committees: Reports
15Immigration and Asylum Bill Committee
Graham Stuart (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
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).
16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 and draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026)
Members: Liz Kendall discharged and James Naish nominated in substitution.
17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026, draft Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) (Local Elections) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026 and draft Local Elections (Northern Ireland) (Uprating Election Expenses) Order 2026)
Members: Shaun Davies discharged and Gregor Poynton nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
18Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Monday 26 October in the Chamber and Thursday 22 October, Tuesday 27 October, Thursday 29 October and Tuesday 3 November in Westminster Hall (Bob Blackman).
Correspondence with the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry relating to the Afghan data breach and resettlement schemes: Written evidence, to be published (Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi).
The appointment of Peter Mandelson as British Ambassador to the United States: Government Response: Written evidence, to be published (HC 718) (Emily Thornberry).
21Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) UK Research and Innovation: Investment in research infrastructure: Sixteenth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 104);
(2) Resilience of the UK's food supply to disruptions: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 717);
(3) Affordability of the Defence Investment Plan: Written evidence, to be published (HC 552);
(4) Armed forces housing and Annington Homes: Written evidence, to be published (HC 98);
(5) Clean power by 2030: Upgrading the grid: Written evidence, to be published (HC 671);
(6) Correspondence from the Public Service Ombudsman relating to their five-year strategy and direction: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to public procurement reforms: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Correspondence with the Permanent Secretary to HM Revenue and Customs relating to the Northern Ireland Delivery Programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(9) Digital ID: Written evidence, to be published (HC 99);
(10) Government compensation schemes: Written evidence, to be published (HC 88);
(11) Regulation of water, energy and broadband: Written evidence, to be published (HC 105)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Interim Report: Kevin Hollinrake: Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 707) (Alberto Costa).
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 1.30 pm.
Business determined by the Backbench Business Committee (Standing Orders No. 10(7) and No. 14(4))
1Select Committee Statements (Standing Order No. 22D)
Publication of the Fourth Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Human Rights and the Regulation of AI, HC 160 (Alex Sobel)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the matter of support for unpaid carers.—(Alison Bennett.)
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)).
At 3.10 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
3Progress towards a smokefree UK
Resolved, That this House has considered progress towards a smokefree UK.—(Bob Blackman.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 4.29 pm until Monday 19 October.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 1094), dated 14 October 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Florence Eshalomi)
Welfare Food (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 1092), dated 13 October 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Dame Diana Johnson)
3Harbours, Docks, Piers and Ferries
Port of Tyne Harbour Revision Order 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 1088), dated 13 October 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 1082), dated 13 October 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (James Murray)
First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal (Chambers) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2026 (SI, 2026, No. 1083), dated 12 October 2026 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alex Norris)
Other papers
6Government Resources and Accounts (Audit of Non-profit-making Companies)
Report and Accounts of the National Forest Company for 2025–26, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument), to be printed (HC 666) (Secretary Angela Eagle)
Report and Accounts of Gov Facility Services Limited for 2025–26 (by Command) (CP 1687) (Secretary Alex Norris)
8Natural Environment and Rural Communities
Report and Accounts of Natural England for 2025–26, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 697) (Secretary Angela Eagle)
9Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions
(1) Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions (Hong Kong Locally Engaged Ratings' Service Pensions Increase) Order 2026 (by Act) (Secretary Wes Streeting)
(2) Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions (Maltese Locally Engaged Ratings' Service Pensions Increase) Order 2026 (by Act) (Secretary Wes Streeting)
Report and Accounts of the Port of London Authority for 2025 (by Act) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
CORRECTION
Tuesday 13 October 2026
Item 37 should have read:
() Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
(1) Inquiry into the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry (Stage 1): Oral evidence, to be published (HC 113);
(2) Correspondence from the CEO of Capita Public Services relating to further information following an oral evidence session: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary relating to the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme and McCloud Remedy Update: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to public procurement reforms: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Minister of State (Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations) relating to Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence with the First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster relating to an invitation to appear before the Committee: Written evidence, to be published
(Simon Hoare).