Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(2) the hon. Member representing the Church Commissioners
2Business Question (Leader of the House)
3Statement: UK leadership on Sudan (Anneliese Dodds)
The Deputy Speaker reported that the King had signified Royal Assent to the following Act under the Royal Assent Act 1967:
Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024
(1) International status of Taiwan
Resolved, That this House, recalling that United Nations Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971, which established the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations (UN), does not mention Taiwan, notes that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the political status of Taiwan or establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan and is silent both on the status of Taiwan in the UN and on Taiwanese participation in UN agencies; and calls on the Government to clarify its position that UN Resolution 2758 does not establish the One China Principle as a matter of international law, to state clearly that nothing in law prevents the participation of Taiwan in international organisations and to condemn efforts made by representatives of the PRC to distort the meaning of UN Resolution 2758 in support of Beijing’s One China Principle and the alteration of historic documents by representatives of the PRC, changing the name of the country from Taiwan to Taiwan, province of China.—(Blair McDougall.)
(2) Freedom of religion in Pakistan
Resolved, That this House notes reports of deteriorating religious freedom in Pakistan; expresses its concern over the alleged widespread forced conversions and human rights abuses of minority religious groups; deplores the lack of action by the Pakistani government, which represents a serious violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and further notes that the arrest of opposition religious leaders by the local authorities has led to condemnation both in Pakistan and further afield.—(Jim Shannon.)
(1) A public petition from residents of Gloucestershire relating to the No. 84/85 bus service in South Gloucestershire was presented and read by Dr Simon Opher.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Washington and Gateshead South relating to pimping websites and paying for sex was presented and read by Mrs Sharon Hodgson.
Subject: Challenges posed by cross-boundary housing developments (Mr Peter Bedford)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Jeff Smith.)
Adjourned at 4 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Changes to Notices Given
8Child Criminal Exploitation (No. 2) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 29 November, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 17 January 2025.
General Committees: Reports
9Employment Rights Bill Committee
Sir Christopher Chope (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
Select Committees: Reports
10Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 5 December and Thursday 12 December in the Chamber and Thursday 5 December and Tuesday 10 December in Westminster Hall (Bob Blackman).
HMRC Customer Service and Accounts 2023–24: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 347) (Mr Clive Betts).
Sir 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))
Resolved, That this House has considered the fishing industry.—(Mr Alistair Carmichael.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14).
Adjourned at 4.27 pm until Monday 2 December.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Heat Networks (Market Framework) (Great Britain) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Sentencing Act 2020 (Special Procedures for Community and Suspended Sentence Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 1220), dated 25 November 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)
Agreement, done at Prague on 4 and 12 May 2021, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Czech Republic on Termination of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic for the Promotion and Protection of Investments with Protocol done at Prague on 10 July 1990 and an amending Exchange of Notes done at Prague on 23 August 1991 and 24 October 1991 (by Command) (CP 1213), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary David Lammy)
Agreement, done at Vilnius on 18 May and 1 July 2021, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Lithuania on Termination of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for the Promotion and Protection of Investments done at Vilnius on 17 May 1993 (by Command) (CP 1185), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary David Lammy)
National Health Service (Ophthalmic Services and Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 1250), dated 27 November 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Stephen Kinnock)
6Universities of Oxford and Cambridge
Statute, dated 2 August 2024, made by the Governing Body of All Souls College in the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the College (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Bridget Phillipson)
Other papers
7Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing
Statutory Review of Police Powers to Apply for Serious Crime Prevention Orders in Terrorism Cases (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Office for Environmental Protection: Strategy and Enforcement Policy (by Act) (Clerk of the House)
9Government Resources and Accounts
(1) Financial Statement of the Security and Intelligence Agencies for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 313) (James Murray)
(2) Report and Accounts of the Valuation Office Agency for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 245) (James Murray)
(3) Report and Accounts of the Vehicle Certification Agency for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 284) (Secretary Louise Haigh)
10Health and Safety at Work etc.
Report and Accounts of the Health and Safety Executive for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 326) (Secretary Liz Kendall)
(1) Government Response to the Annual Report from the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation on the Operation of the Terrorism Acts in 2022 (by Command) (CP 1211) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(2) HMG Counter-Terrorism Disruptive Powers Report for 2023 (by Command) (CP 1212) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Report to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the Government’s response to human rights judgments 2023–24 (by Command) (CP 1192) (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)
Government Indemnity Scheme: Statement to Parliament on the level of outstanding liabilities under the Scheme for the six-month period ending 30 September 2024 (by Act) (Sir Chris Bryant)
Report of the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation on the Operation of the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006, and the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011, in 2022 (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Agreement, done at London on 13 October 2023, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Portuguese Republic on Mutual Recognition for the Purpose of Driving and Exchange of Driving Licences (by Command) (CP 1214) (Secretary David Lammy)
Agreement, done at London on 19 September 2019, establishing an Association between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Lebanon (by Command) (CP 1215) (Secretary David Lammy)
MEMORANDUM
PANEL OF CHAIRS
The Speaker has nominated Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Gill Furniss, Sir John Hayes, Christine Jardine, Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck, Esther McVey, Dr Andrew Murrison, Sir Desmond Swayne, Karl Turner, Matt Western and Sir Jeremy Wright to the Panel of Chairs during this Parliament (Standing Order No. 4(1)), effective from 27 November 2024.