Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1King’s Speech (Answer to Address)
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household reported to the House, That His Majesty, having been attended with its Address of 15 November 2023, was pleased to receive the same very graciously and give the following Answer:
I have received with great satisfaction the dutiful and loyal expression of your thanks for the speech with which I opened the present Session of Parliament.
2Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
3Business Question (Leader of the House)
4Climate and Nature Bill: Presentation (Standing Order No. 57)
Alex Sobel, supported by Caroline Lucas, Ed Davey, Colum Eastwood, Brendan O’Hara, Olivia Blake, Sir Peter Bottomley, Daisy Cooper, Clive Lewis, Stephen Farry, Alison Thewliss and Derek Thomas, presented a Bill to require the United Kingdom to achieve climate and nature targets; to give the Secretary of State a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets; to establish a Climate and Nature Assembly to advise the Secretary of State in creating that strategy; to give duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 17 May, and to be printed (Bill 192).
(1) Reports of the Defence Committee and Committee of Public Accounts on armed forces readiness and defence equipment
Motion made and the Question proposed, That this House has considered the First Report of the Defence Committee, Ready for War?, HC 26, the Eighth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Improving Defence Inventory Management, HC 66, and the Nineteenth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, MoD Equipment Plan 2023–33, HC 451.—(Sir Jeremy Quin.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
(2) Reports of the Environmental Audit Committee, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on food security
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of food security, including the effects on it of environmental change and of insect decline.—(Philip Dunne.)
A public petition from residents of the constituency of Nottingham South relating to the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry was presented and read by Lilian Greenwood.
Subject: Trailer and towing safety (Karin Smyth)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Suzanne Webb.)
At 5 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Suzanne Webb.)
Adjourned at 5.19 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
8Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
The Lords insist on an Amendment to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to which the Commons have disagreed, for which insistence they assign their Reason; they do not insist on certain Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed, but propose Amendments in lieu to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; and they do not insist on the other Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed.
Printing of Lords Messages
9Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
Lords Message relating to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 193).
Changes to Notices Given
10Chalk Streams (Protection) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 22 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 21 June.
11Health and Social Care (Recruitment and Retention of Staff in Rural Areas) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 22 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 19 April.
12Health and Equality Acts (Amendment) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 22 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 19 April.
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).
13British Citizenship (Northern Ireland) Bill Committee
Chair: Carolyn Harris
14First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-Engagement)
Chair: Sir Graham Brady
15Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Disapplication or Modification of Financial Regulator Rules in Individual Cases) Regulations 2024)
Chair: Judith Cummins
16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Investigative Powers of Prosecutors: Code of Practice) Order 2024, draft Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Search, Recovery of Cryptoassets and Investigations: Codes of Practice) Regulations 2024, draft Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Terrorism Act 2000 (Certain Information Orders: Code of Practice) Regulations 2024 and draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Code of Practice for Authorised Officers) Order 2024)
Chair: Dr Rupa Huq
17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Official Controls (Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and draft Plant Health (Fees) (England) and Official Controls (Frequency of Checks) (Amendment) Regulations 2024)
Chair: Christina Rees
18Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (2024 UEFA Champions League Final) Regulations 2024)
Chair: Sir Robert Syms
19Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2024)
Chair: Andrew Rosindell
20Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Post Office Network Subsidy Scheme (Amendment) Order 2024)
Chair: Valerie Vaz
Select Committees: Reports
21Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Monday 15 April and Thursday 18 April in the Chamber and on Thursday 25 April in Westminster Hall (Ian Mearns).
Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to the situation in Gaza: Written evidence, to be published (Alicia Kearns).
23Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
(1) PSNI data breaches: Written evidence, to be published (HC 47);
(2) Work of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Written evidence, to be published (HC 44)
(Sir Robert Buckland).
24Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Pre-appointment hearing: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Written evidence, to be published (HC 558) (Mr William Wragg).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
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))
1Easter, Christian culture and heritage
Resolved, That this House has considered Easter, Christian culture and heritage.—(Nick Fletcher.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 3.08 pm until Monday 25 March.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Contracts for Difference (Sustainable Industry Rewards) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Claire Coutinho)
Draft Combined Authorities (Finance) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Jacob Young)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 406), dated 20 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Nigel Huddleston)
Clergy Discipline (Amendment) Rules 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 387), dated 23 February 2024 (by Measure) (Clerk of the House)
Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 404), dated 20 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Mr Steve Baker)
Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 381), dated 13 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Mark Harper)
Air Services Agreement, done at London on 2 November 2023, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (by Command) (CP 1049), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (David Rutley)
(1) Town and Country Planning (Former RAF Airfield Wethersfield) (Accommodation for Asylum-Seekers etc.) Special Development Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 411), dated 20 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lee Rowley)
(2) Town and Country Planning (Former RAF Scampton) (Accommodation for Asylum-Seekers etc.) Special Development Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 412), dated 20 March 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Lee Rowley)
Other papers
(1) Air Publication 3376 Volume 1 (Seventeenth Edition) - Terms and Conditions of Service for Enlisted Aviators of the Royal Air Force (by Act) (James Heappey)
(2) Air Publication 3392 Volume 7 Part 1 (Sixth Edition) - Regulations for the Reserve Air Forces (by Act) (James Heappey)
(3) Air Publication 3393 Volume 1 (Twenty-eighth Edition) - Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers of the Royal Air Force (by Act) (James Heappey)
List of new and supplementary pensions granted under the Civil List Act 1972 (by Act) (Gareth Davies)
Report and Accounts of the Government Annuities Investment Fund for 2023, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 632) (Bim Afolami)
12Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of the College of Policing Limited for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 618) (Secretary James Cleverly)
Government Response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill (by Command) (CP 1036) (Secretary Victoria Atkins)
14Infrastructure (Financial Assistance)
Report on the Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Act 2012 for 2022–23 (by Act) (Gareth Davies)
15Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders
Report of the Director of Legal Aid Casework for 2022–23 (by Act), to be printed (HC 648) (Secretary Alex Chalk)
Workless households and educational attainment statutory indicators 2024 (by Act) (Secretary Mel Stride)
Report of the Care Quality Commission: Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2022–23 (by Act) (Maria Caulfield)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Progress with the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID) (by Act), to be printed (HC 637) (Clerk of the House)
Report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues (by Act), to be printed (HC 638) (Clerk of the House)
Report under section 56(7) of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 on the renewal of call-out orders for various standing call-out orders for operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo and operations to counter the threat of Daesh (by Act) (James Heappey)
Expenditure Report under section 2 of the High-Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013 for 2022–23 (by Act) (Secretary Mark Harper)
European Union Finances 2023: Statement on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement (by Command) (CP 1043) (Laura Trott)
Report and Accounts of the Consumer Council for Water for 2022–23, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 336) (Secretary Steve Barclay)