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Votes and Proceedings
Thursday 30 November 2023

Read the agenda for business in the House of Commons chamber, Westminster Hall and Commons Committees.

Find out more about the Votes and Proceedings

Contents

Chamber business

The House met at 9.30 am.

Prayers

1Questions to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade

2Business Question (Leader of the House)

3National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill: Allocation of Time

Ordered, That the following provisions shall apply to the proceedings on the National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill:

Timetable

(1) (a) Proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall be taken at today’s sitting in accordance with this Order.

(b) Proceedings on Second Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion for this Order.

(c) Proceedings in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion four hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion for this Order.

Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put

(2) When the Bill has been read a second time:

(a) it shall, despite Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme order), stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;

(b) proceedings on the Bill shall stand postponed while the Question is put, in accordance with Standing Order No. 52(1) (Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), on any financial resolution relating to the Bill;

(c) on the conclusion of proceedings on any financial resolution relating to the Bill, proceedings on the Bill shall be resumed and the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.

(3) (a) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee of the whole House, the Chair shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.

(b) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.

(4) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (1), the Chair or Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply:

(a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;

(b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;

(c) the Question on any Amendment, new Clause or new Schedule selected by the Chair or Speaker for separate decision;

(d) the Question on any Amendment moved or Motion made by a Minister of the Crown;

(e) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded;

and shall not put any other questions, other than the question on any motion described in paragraph (15)(a) of this Order.

(5) On a Motion so made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chair or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.

(6) If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph (4)(d) on successive Amendments moved or Motions made by a Minister of the Crown, the Chair or Speaker shall instead put a single Question in relation to those Amendments or Motions.

(7) If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph (4)(e) in relation to successive provisions of the Bill, the Chair shall instead put a single Question in relation to those provisions, except that the Question shall be put separately on any Clause of or Schedule to the Bill which a Minister of the Crown has signified an intention to leave out.

Consideration of Lords Amendments

(8) (a) Any Lords Amendments to the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.

(b) Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed.

(9) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Standing Order No. 83F (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (8) of this Order.

Subsequent stages

(10) (a) Any further Message from the Lords on the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.

(b) Proceedings on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed.

(11) Paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No. 83G (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on further messages from the Lords) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (10) of this Order.

Reasons Committee

(12) Paragraphs (2) to (6) of Standing Order No. 83H (Programme orders: reasons committee) apply in relation to any committee to be appointed to draw up reasons after proceedings have been brought to a conclusion in accordance with this Order.

Miscellaneous

(13) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on the Bill.

(14) Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings to which this Order applies.

(15) (a) No Motion shall be made, except by a Minister of the Crown, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken, to recommit the Bill or to vary or supplement the provisions of this Order.

(b) No notice shall be required of such a Motion.

(c) Such a Motion may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.

(d) The Question on such a Motion shall be put forthwith; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (c) shall thereupon be resumed.

(e) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on such a Motion.

(16) (a) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings to which this Order applies except by a Minister of the Crown.

(b) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.

(17) (a) The start of any debate under Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates) to be held on a day on which the Bill has been set down to be taken as an Order of the Day shall be postponed until the conclusion of any proceedings on that day to which this Order applies.

(b) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply in respect of any such debate.

(18) Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.

(19) (a) Any private business which has been set down for consideration at a time falling after the commencement of proceedings on this Order or on the Bill on a day on which the Bill has been set down to be taken as an Order of the Day shall, instead of being considered as provided by Standing Orders or by any Order of the House, be considered at the conclusion of the proceedings on the Bill on that day.

(b) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to the private business so far as necessary for the purpose of securing that the business may be considered for a period of three hours.—(Ruth Edwards.)

4National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill: Second Reading

Bill read a second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House (Order, today).

5National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) 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 National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any increase in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided that is attributable to:

(a) reducing the main primary percentage for Class 1 primary national insurance contributions to 10% (and reducing the percentage specified in regulation 131 of the Social Security Contributions Regulations 2001 to 3.85%),

(b) reducing the main Class 4 percentage for Class 4 national insurance contributions to 8% from tax year 2024–25, and

(c) removing the requirement to pay Class 2 national insurance contributions from that tax year.—(Mark Jenkinson.)

Question agreed to.

6National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill: Committee of the whole House

The House resolved itself into a Committee (Order, today).

(In the Committee)

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clauses 2 to 5 agreed to.

New Clause NC1—(James Murray)—brought up, and read the first time.

Question proposed, That the Clause be read a second time.

Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

Schedule agreed to.

The occupant of the Chair left the Chair to report the Bill (Order, today).

The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mark Jenkinson reported, That the Committee had gone through the Bill and made no amendment.

7National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) Bill: Third Reading

Bill read the third time and passed.

8Adjournment

Subject: Conditions at HM Prison Bedford (Mohammad Yasin)

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mark Jenkinson.)

Adjourned at 2.01 pm until Monday 4 December.

Other Proceedings

General Committees: Reports

9Twelfth Delegated Legislation Committee

Philip Davies (Chair) reported the draft Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Revision of Codes A, B, C, D and H and New Code I) 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).

10Media Bill Committee

Chairs: Judith Cummins and Martin Vickers

11First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Wine (Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Hannah Bardell

12Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Data Protection (Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) (Amendment) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Mrs Pauline Latham

13Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Plant Health etc. (Miscellaneous Fees) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Philip Davies

14Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Clive Efford

15Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2023, draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Benchmarks and Capital Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Peter Dowd

16Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Mr Philip Hollobone

17Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments and Consequential Provisions) (England) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Sir Robert Syms

18Eighth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Representation of the People (Overseas Electors etc.) (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 and draft Representation of the People (Overseas Electors etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023)

Chair: Mr Virendra Sharma

19Twelfth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Revision of Codes A, B, C, D and H and New Code I) Order 2023)

*This item has been corrected since publication. See the correction in the Votes and Proceedings relating to Tuesday 5 December 2023.

Members: Anthony Quin discharged and Dr Caroline Johnson nominated in substitution.

Select Committees: Reports

20Backbench Business Committee 

Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 7 December in the Chamber and Thursday 7 December and Tuesday 12 December in Westminster Hall (Ian Mearns).

21Public Accounts (Committee of)

(1) Reducing the harm from illegal drugs: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 72);

(2) Preparedness for online safety regulation: Written evidence, to be published (HC 73)

(Dame Meg Hillier).

22Standards (Committee on)

Stephen Flynn:

(i) First Report, with an Appendix, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 348);

(ii) Written evidence, to be published (HC 348)

(Ms Harriet Harman).

23Transport Committee

HS2: Progress update: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 85) (Iain Stewart).

Lindsay Hoyle

Speaker

Westminster Hall

The sitting began at 1.30 pm.

Business appointed by the Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6))

1Work of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme

Resolved, That this House has considered the work of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.—(Dame Maria Miller.)

The sitting was suspended between 2.09 pm and 3 pm.

2Pupils with allergies in schools

Resolved, That this House has considered pupils with allergies in schools.—(Jim Shannon.)

Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).

Adjourned at 4.23 pm until Tuesday 5 December.

Eleanor Laing

Chairman of Ways and Means

Papers Laid

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution

1Environmental Protection

(1) Draft Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lee Rowley)

(2) Draft Biodiversity Gain Site Register (Financial Penalties and Fees) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Steve Barclay)

Papers subject to Negative Resolution

2Town and Country Planning

Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2023 (SI, 2023, No. 1279), dated 28 November 2023 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lee Rowley)

Other papers

3Atomic Energy

Report and Accounts of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 303) (Claire Coutinho)

4Culture, Media and Sport

Financial Statements of Historic Royal Palaces 2023 (by Command) (Sir John Whittingdale)

5Fisheries

Report and Accounts of the Sea Fish Industry Authority for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 16) (Secretary Steve Barclay)

6Government Resources and Accounts

(1) Report and Accounts of National Forest Company for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 25) (Secretary Steve Barclay)

(2) Report and Accounts of Sir John Soane’s Museum for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 257) (Sir John Whittingdale)

(3) Report and Accounts of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 255) (Nigel Huddleston)

(4) Report and Accounts of the National Infrastructure Commission for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 374) (Nigel Huddleston)

7National Audit

Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Ministry of Defence: The Equipment Plan 2023–2033 (by Act), to be printed (HC 315) (Clerk of the House)

CORRECTIONS

(1) 28 November 2023

Item 27 (Select Committees: Reports) should have read:

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

(1) Soil Health: First Report, with an Appendix, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 245);

(2) Pet welfare and abuse: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 161);

(3) Education and careers in land-based sectors: Written evidence, to be published (HC 165);

(4) Work of the Department: Written evidence, to be published (HC 163)

(Sir Robert Goodwill).

(2) 29 November 2023

Item 10 (6) (Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval) should not have appeared.