Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
Prayers
1Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2Speaker's Statement: Sub judice rule
3Urgent Question: United Front Work Department (Dan Jarvis)
4Statements: (1) English devolution (Jim McMahon)
(2) Royal Mail takeover (Justin Madders)
5Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords]: Second Reading
Motion made and Question proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time.
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
6Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords]: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords]:
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 Thursday 16 January 2025.
(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.
Proceedings on 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.—(Christian Wakeford.)
Question agreed to.
7Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords]: 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 Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords], it is expedient to authorise:
(1) any increase attributable to the Act in charges or fees payable under any other Act; and
(2) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.—(Christian Wakeford.)
Question agreed to.
8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Ivory Act 2018 (Meaning of "Ivory" and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024, which were laid before this House on 21 May 2024, in the last Parliament, be approved.—(Christian Wakeford.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Road Transport (International Passenger Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which were laid before this House on 28 October, be approved.—(Christian Wakeford.)
Question agreed to.
9Changes to membership of select committees
(1) Ordered, That Claire Hazelgrove and Matthew Patrick be discharged from the Foreign Affairs Committee and Alex Ballinger and Phil Brickell be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(2) Ordered, That Gordon McKee be discharged from the International Development Committee and James Naish be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(3) Ordered, That Jerome Mayhew be discharged from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and Simon Hoare be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(4) Ordered, That John Lamont be a member of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(5) Ordered, That Aphra Brandreth be a member of the Welsh Affairs Committee.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(6) Ordered, That Neil Coyle be discharged from the Work and Pensions Committee and Frank McNally be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
Subject: Court delays and victims of sexual violence (Mary Glindon)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Christian Wakeford.)
Adjourned at 10.27 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
11Women, Peace and Security Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed a Bill to support women in UK-sponsored and supported conflict prevention, peace processes, mediation and diplomatic delegations; to ensure systematic gender consideration and responsiveness in UK foreign and defence policy; and for connected purposes, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
12Listed Investment Companies (Classification etc) Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision about listed investment companies; the classification and characteristics of those companies; and for connected purposes, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
General Committees: Reports
13First Delegated Legislation Committee
Sir Roger Gale (Chair) reported the draft Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) (Extension to Switzerland etc.) Regulations 2024.
14Second Delegated Legislation Committee
Martin Vickers (Chair) reported the draft Asian Development Bank (Thirteenth Replenishment of the Asian Development Fund) Order 2024 and the draft Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) Order 2024.
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).
15First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) (Extension to Switzerland etc.) Regulations 2024)
Members: Dame Harriett Baldwin, Helena Dollimore and Martin Vickers discharged and Harriet Cross, Mr Richard Holden and Fred Thomas nominated in substitution.
16Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Asian Development Bank (Thirteenth Replenishment of the Asian Development Fund) Order 2024 and draft Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) Order 2024)
Members: Anna Turley discharged and Kate Dearden nominated in substitution.
17Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Local Digital Television Programme Services (Amendment) Order 2024)
Members: Laura Kyrke-Smith and Mr Louie French discharged and Simon Hoare and Peter Swallow nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
18Public Accounts (Committee of)
* This item has been corrected since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings relating to Tuesday 17 December.
(1) Tax evasion in the retail sector: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 355);
(2) Correspondence with the First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs relating to the Accounting Officer Assessments for the Making Tax Digital programme and the Locations Programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) DWP Customer Service and Accounts 2023–24: Written evidence, to be published (HC 354);
(4) Support for children and young people with special educational needs: Written evidence, to be published (HC 353)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 4.30 pm.
Debate on e-petitions (Standing Orders No. 10(1)(a) and No. 145A(7))
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered e-petitions 653509 and 652949 relating to Israel and Palestine.—(Dr Roz Savage.)
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)).
Resolved, That this House has considered e-petitions 653509 and 652949 relating to Israel and Palestine.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 6.53 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Electricity Capacity (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Draft Online Safety Act 2023 (Category 1, Category 2A and Category 2B Threshold Conditions) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Peter Kyle)
Draft Energy Bill Relief Scheme and Energy Bills Discount Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 1330), dated 12 December 2024 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Stephanie Peacock)
(1) Draft Illegal Content Codes of Practice for Search Services (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Peter Kyle)
(2) Draft Illegal Content Codes of Practice for User-to-User Services (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Peter Kyle)
Other papers
6Betting, Gaming and Lotteries
Report and Accounts of the Horserace Betting Levy Board for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 482) (Stephanie Peacock)
Report and Accounts of the Committee on Climate Change for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 301) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
8Constitutional Reform and Governance
Report by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority on the MPs’ Pension Scheme: Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (by Act), to be printed (HC 559) (The Speaker)
Capacity Market (Amendment) (No. 3) Rules 2024 (by Act) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
10Government Resources and Accounts
(1) Report and Accounts of the Commission for Local Administration in England (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 532) (Secretary Angela Rayner)
(2) Report and Accounts of the UK Health Security Agency for 2023–24, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 427) (Andrew Gwynne)
Government Response to the Report of the House of Lords Modern Slavery Act 2015 Committee (by Command) (CP 1216) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
12Housing, Communities and Local Government
English Devolution White Paper: Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth (by Command) (CP 1218) (Secretary Angela Rayner)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): DCMS’s management of its COVID-19 loan book (by Act), to be printed (HC 472) (Clerk of the House)