Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Wales
(2) the Prime Minister
2Urgent Question: UK gigafactory capacity (Graham Stuart)
3Local Electricity Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
David Johnston, supported by Peter Aldous, Hilary Benn, Sir Graham Brady, Alan Brown, Simon Fell, Wera Hobhouse, Ben Lake, Clive Lewis, Selaine Saxby, Mick Whitley and Jeremy Wright, presented a Bill to enable electricity generators to become local electricity suppliers; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 24 March, and to be printed (Bill 231).
4Fertility Treatment (Transparency): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require providers of in vitro fertilisation to publish information annually about the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles they carry out and about their provision of certain additional treatments in connection with in vitro fertilisation; to require such providers to publish a report about their provision of NHS-funded IVF treatment in certain circumstances; and for connected purposes;
That Alex Davies-Jones, Nickie Aiken, Tonia Antoniazzi, Steve Brine, Stella Creasy, Dame Caroline Dinenage, Christine Jardine, Dame Diana Johnson, Justin Madders, Siobhain McDonagh, Charlotte Nichols and Caroline Nokes present the Bill.
Alex Davies-Jones accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 24 March, and to be printed (Bill 230).
5Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill: Consideration of the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee
New Clause NC1—(Ms Nusrat Ghani)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question proposed, That the Clause be read a second time.
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
New Clause NC1 added to the Bill.
Motion made and Question put, That Amendment 18 be made.—(Justin Madders.)
The House divided.
Division No. 146
Ayes: 239 (Tellers: Liz Twist, Mary Glindon)
Noes: 297 (Tellers: Mike Wood, Stuart Anderson)
Question accordingly negatived.
As it was after 6.00 pm, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on Consideration to a conclusion (Programme Order, 7 November 2022).
The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83E).
(1) That Amendment 28 be made (Amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision).—(Alyn Smith.)
The House divided.
Division No. 147
Ayes: 239 (Tellers: Richard Thomson, Peter Grant)
Noes: 300 (Tellers: Mike Wood, Stuart Anderson)
Question accordingly negatived.
(2) That Amendment 19 be made (Amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision).—(Justin Madders.)
The House divided.
Division No. 148
Ayes: 238 (Tellers: Liz Twist, Mary Glindon)
Noes: 301 (Tellers: Mike Wood, Stuart Anderson)
Question accordingly negatived.
(3) That Amendment 36 be made (Amendment selected by the Speaker for separate decision).—(Stella Creasy.)
The House divided.
Division No. 149
Ayes: 242 (Tellers: Mary Glindon, Liz Twist)
Noes: 295 (Tellers: Stuart Anderson, Mike Wood)
Question accordingly negatived.
(4) That Government Amendments 1, 3, 6 to 17, 2, 4 and 5 be made, and that New Schedule 1 be added to the Bill (Single Question on all remaining Government amendments and motions).—(Ms Nusrat Ghani.)
Question agreed to.
Consideration completed.
6Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill: Third Reading
Graham Stuart signified King’s consent, as far as His Majesty’s interest is concerned.
Motion made and Question put, That the Bill be read the Third time.—(Ms Nusrat Ghani.)
The House divided.
Division No. 150
Ayes: 297 (Tellers: Mike Wood, Stuart Anderson)
Noes: 238 (Tellers: Liz Twist, Mary Glindon)
Question accordingly agreed to.
Bill read the third time and passed.
7Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Health and Social Care Information Centre (Transfer of Functions, Abolition and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2023, which were laid before this House on 15 December 2022, be approved.—(Scott Mann.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Non-Domestic Rating Multipliers) (England) Order 2022, which was laid before this House on 12 December 2022, be approved.—(Scott Mann.)
Question agreed to.
(1) A public petition from residents of the United Kingdom relating to pre-payment meter energy customers and forcible transfer was presented and read by Anne McLaughlin.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Glasgow East relating to the abolition of the benefit cap was presented and read by David Linden.
Subject: Train services in South Gloucestershire (Luke Hall)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Scott Mann.)
Adjourned at 7.26 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Explanatory Notes to Bills
10Rule of Law (Enforcement by Public Authorities) Bill
Explanatory Notes to the Bill to be printed (Bill 103–EN).
General Committees: Reports
11Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee
Graham Stringer (Chair) reported the draft Civil Legal Aid (Housing and Asylum Accommodation) Order 2023.
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).
12Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill Committee
Members: Wendy Chamberlain, Peter Dowd, Mrs Flick Drummond, Simon Fell, Anna Firth, Kevin Foster, Trudy Harrison, Antony Higginbotham, Sir Greg Knight, Mrs Pauline Latham, Kerry McCarthy, Rachael Maskell, Matt Rodda, Henry Smith, John Spellar, Jane Stevenson and Sammy Wilson
13Electricity and Gas Transmission (Compensation) Bill Committee
(1) Chair: Stewart Hosie
(2) Members: Bim Afolami, Dr Lisa Cameron, Peter Dowd, Mrs Flick Drummond, Richard Foord, Yvonne Fovargue, Dr Liam Fox, Mark Garnier, Sir Mark Hendrick, Sir George Howarth, Damien Moore, Robbie Moore, Selaine Saxby, Nick Smith, Jane Stevenson, Graham Stuart and Derek Thomas
14First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) (Amendment) Order 2023)
(1) Chair: Julie Elliott
(2) Members: Debbie Abrahams, Mike Amesbury, Mr Richard Bacon, Shaun Bailey, Olivia Blake, Mr Simon Clarke, Samantha Dixon, Richard Drax, Chris Elmore, Sir David Evennett, Richard Graham, Dr Neil Hudson, Robert Jenrick, Stephen Kinnock, Scott Mann, Sam Tarry and Maggie Throup
15Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2022, draft Environmental Targets (Woodland and Trees Outside Woodland) (England) Regulations 2022, draft Environmental Targets (Water) (England) Regulations 2022, draft Environmental Targets (Marine Protected Areas) Regulations 2022, draft Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2022 and draft Environmental Targets (Residual Waste) (England) Regulations 2022)
(1) Chair: Graham Stringer
(2) Members: Lee Anderson, Ian Byrne, Mary Glindon, James Grundy, Trudy Harrison, Fay Jones, Alan Mak, Jerome Mayhew, Amanda Milling, Andrew Percy, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Mr Barry Sheerman, Chloe Smith, Nick Smith, Alex Sobel, Craig Tracey and Karl Turner
16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 17) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No.1331))
(1) Chair: Dame Caroline Dinenage
(2) Members: Saqib Bhatti, Kevin Brennan, Stephen Doughty, Kevin Foster, Mr Louie French, Mrs Paulette Hamilton, Rebecca Harris, Mark Jenkinson, Gerald Jones, Mr Jonathan Lord, Mr Khalid Mahmood, Mr Gagan Mohindra, Mary Robinson, Gary Sambrook, John Spellar, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Mohammad Yasin
17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2022)
(1) Chair: Peter Dowd
(2) Members: Tahir Ali, Crispin Blunt, Ms Karen Buck, Richard Burgon, Jo Churchill, Sir Geoffrey Cox, Mims Davies, Mr Jonathan Djanogly, Michael Fabricant, Dame Meg Hillier, Kim Johnson, Mark Logan, Jason McCartney, Navendu Mishra, Ms Marie Rimmer, Bob Stewart and Mrs Heather Wheeler
18Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Amendment of List of Responders) Order 2023)
(1) Chair: Derek Twigg
(2) Members: Fleur Anderson, Jack Brereton, Peter Gibson, Lilian Greenwood, Stephen Hammond, Emma Hardy, Dr Caroline Johnson, Ian Lavery, Andrew Lewer, John McDonnell, Julie Marson, Johnny Mercer, James Morris, John Stevenson, Zarah Sultana, Edward Timpson and Mick Whitley
19Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (Plant Health and Trade in Animals and Related Products (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1367))
(1) Chair: Judith Cummins
(2) Members: Alun Cairns, Jon Cruddas, Nick Fletcher, Mary Glindon, Sir Oliver Heald, Gareth Johnson, Fay Jones, Kit Malthouse, Jerome Mayhew, Kate Osamor, Kate Osborne, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Mark Spencer, Theresa Villiers, Giles Watling, Beth Winter and Daniel Zeichner
20Eighth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Legal Aid: Family and Domestic Abuse) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2023)
(1) Chair: Martin Vickers
(2) Members: Gareth Bacon, Mr John Baron, Dan Carden, David Duguid, Michael Ellis, Mary Kelly Foy, Mike Freer, Barry Gardiner, Jonathan Gullis, Andrew Jones, Afzal Khan, Dr Julian Lewis, Scott Mann, Wendy Morton, Karin Smyth, Mark Tami and Jon Trickett
Select Committees: Reports
21Environmental Audit Committee
(1) COP15: the international biodiversity conference: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 480);
(2) Environmental change and food security: Written evidence, to be published (HC 880)
(Philip Dunne).
(1) Policing priorities: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 635);
(2) Correspondence from the Home Secretary on the Manston processing centre: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Home Secretary on the Strikes (Minimum Services Levels) Bill: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire on the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP): Written evidence, to be published
(5) Drugs: Written evidence, to be published (HC 198)
(Dame Diana Johnson).
23Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) Legislative Scrutiny: Bill of Rights Bill: Ninth Report, to be printed, with the Formal Minutes relating to the Report (HC 611);
(2) Children’s Commissioner: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1046);
(3) Correspondence from the Trade Union Congress relating to the Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill: Written evidence, to be published
(Joanna Cherry).
24International Trade Committee
(1) UK trade negotiations: Agreement with New Zealand: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report: Second Special Report, to be printed (HC 1033);
(2) UK trade negotiations: Parliamentary scrutiny of free trade agreements: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report: Third Special Report, to be printed (HC 1034);
(3) UK trade negotiations: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 15)
(4) Correspondence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities relating to freeports: Written evidence, to be published
(5) Trade and foreign policy: Written evidence, to be published (HC 74);
(6) Trade and the environment: Written evidence, to be published (HC 75);
(7) UK trade approach towards developing countries: Written evidence, to be published (HC 76)
(Angus Brendan MacNeil).
25Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
(1) Cost of Living in Northern Ireland: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 716);
(2) The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 24);
(3) Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol: Written evidence, to be published (HC 285);
(4) The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: Written evidence, to be published (HC 781
(Simon Hoare).
26Science and Technology Committee
Delivering nuclear power: Oral evidence and written, to be published (HC 626) (Greg Clark).
27Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Twenty-Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 4-xxiii) (Jessica Morden).
28Statutory Instruments (Select Committee on)
Tenth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 5-x) (Jessica Morden).
Rail services and infrastructure: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1041) (Iain Stewart).
(1) Grid capacity in Wales: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report: Third Special Report, to be printed (HC 1063);
(2) Broadcasting in Wales: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 620)
(Stephen Crabb).
31Women and Equalities Committee
(1) Menopause and the Workplace: Government response to the Committee’s First Report: Fourth Special Report, to be printed (HC 1060);
(2) Sexism and inequality in football: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 830);
(3) So-called Honour-Based Abuse: Written evidence, to be published (HC 831);
(4) Work of the Equality and Human Rights Commission: Written evidence, to be published (HC 852);
(5) Preventing violence against women and girls: Written evidence, to be published
(Caroline Nokes)
(1) Protecting pension savers—five years on from the pension freedoms: Saving for later life: Government, Financial Conduct Authority and Money and Pensions Service Responses to the Committee’s Third Report: Fourth Special Report, to be printed (HC 1057);
(2) Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 272);
(3) Correspondence with the Minister for Pensions relating to pensions: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to cost of living payments: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2021–22: Written evidence, to be published (HC 971)
(Sir Stephen Timms).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 9.30 am.
Business appointed by the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6) and Order, 19 December 2022)
1The future of the Parole Board
Resolved, That this House has considered the future of the Parole Board.—(Graham Stringer.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.43 am and 11.00 am.
2Methodologies for setting total allowable catches for data-limited stocks in fisheries negotiations
Resolved, That this House has considered the methodologies for setting total allowable catches for data-limited stocks in fisheries negotiations.—(George Eustice.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.29 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Funding decisions of Arts Council England
Resolved, That this House has considered the funding decisions of Arts Council England.—(Sir Robert Neill.)
Resolved, That this House has considered the 2012 Alcohol Strategy.—(Dan Carden.)
5Use of antibiotics on healthy farm animals and antimicrobial resistance
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of the use of antibiotics on healthy farm animals and antimicrobial resistance.—(Mr Virendra Sharma.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.15 pm until tomorrow.
Rosie Winterton
First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft International Fund for Agricultural Development (Twelfth Replenishment) Order 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Andrew Mitchell)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 35), dated 16 January 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Mark Harper)
Other papers
Office for Environmental Protection: Progress in improving the natural environment in England (by Act) (Clerk of the House)
(1) Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment to the draft Environmental Targets (Woodland and Trees Outside Woodland) (England) Regulations 2022 (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
(2) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Residual Waste) (England) Regulations 2022 (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
(3) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2022 (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
(4) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2022 (by Command) (Secretary Thérèse Coffey)
5Exiting the European Union Education Employment and Training
Explanatory Memorandum to the EU Agencies (Revocations) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1241) (Robert Halfon)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on HM Revenue and Customs: Administration of Welsh rates of income tax 2021–22 (by Act), to be printed (HC 1024) (Clerk of the House)
HM Treasury Minute, dated 18 January 2023, concerning a contingent liability relating to the Asset Purchase Facility (by Command) (The Chancellor of the Exchequer)
Withdrawn papers
(1) Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment to the draft Environmental Targets (Woodland and Trees Outside Woodland) (England) Regulations 2022 (laid 20 December 2022)
(2) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Residual Waste) (England) Regulations 2022 (laid 19 December 2022)
(3) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2022 (laid 19 December 2022)
(4) Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2022 (laid 19 December 2022)
9Exiting The European Union Education Employment and Training
Explanatory Memorandum to the EU Agencies (Revocations) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 1241) (laid 1 December 2022)