Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
Prayers
1Electoral Commission (Answer to Address)
The Comptroller of the Household reported to the House, That the Address of 4 March, praying that His Majesty will re-appoint Dame Elan Closs Stephens as an Electoral Commissioner with effect from 13 March 2025 for the period ending on 12 March 2027, was presented to His Majesty, who was graciously pleased to comply with the request.
2Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
3Statement: Heathrow Airport disruption (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
4Planning and Infrastructure Bill: 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.
The House divided.
Division No. 139
Ayes: 330 (Tellers: Kate Dearden, Martin McCluskey)
Noes: 74 (Tellers: Charlie Maynard, Bobby Dean)
Question agreed to and Bill read a second time.
5Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill:
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 22 May 2025.
(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.
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.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
6Planning and Infrastructure 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 Planning and Infrastructure Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of:
(1) any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of the Act by the Secretary of State, a government department or another public authority; and
(2) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under or by virtue of any other Act out of money so provided.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
7Planning and Infrastructure Bill: 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 Planning and Infrastructure Bill, it is expedient to authorise:
(1) the charging of fees or levies under or by virtue of the Act; and
(2) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
8Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2025, which was laid before this House on 11 February, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Electronic Communications (Networks and Services) (Designated Vendor Directions) (Penalties) Order 2025, which was laid before this House on 11 February, be approved.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Question agreed to.
9Changes to membership of select committees
(1) Ordered, That Melanie Onn be discharged from the Committee on Standards and Gill Furniss be added.—(Gen Kitchen.)
(2) Ordered, That Melanie Onn be discharged from the Committee of Privileges and Gill Furniss be added.—(Gen Kitchen.)
(3) Ordered, That Laura Kyrke-Smith be discharged from the International Development Committee and Tracy Gilbert be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
A public petition from residents of the constituency of Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West relating to the Newcastle United Carabao Cup win was presented and read by Chi Onwurah.
Subject: Male suicide in Rotherham (Jake Richards)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Adjourned at 10.39 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
12Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill
The Lords agree to the Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill without amendment.
13Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (changed to Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers) Bill)
The Lords agree to the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (changed to Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers) Bill), with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
14National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill
The Lords do not insist on certain Amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill 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 their other Amendments.
Printing of Lords Amendments
15Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (changed to Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers) Bill)
Lords Amendments to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 209) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 209–EN).
Printing of Lords Messages
16National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill
Lords Message to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 210).
Changes to Notices Given
17Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme (Report) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 28 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 11 July.
18Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 28 March, read and discharged.
Bill to be read a second time on Friday 20 June.
19Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Bill
Order for Second Reading on Friday 28 March, read and discharged.
Bill withdrawn.
General Committees: Reports
20First Delegated Legislation Committee
Christine Jardine (Chair) reported the Motion in the name of Secretary Peter Kyle relating to Financial Assistance to Industry.
21Second Delegated Legislation Committee
Sir Jeremy Wright (Chair) reported the Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure (HC 773) and the Church Funds Investment Measure (HC 772).
22Third Delegated Legislation Committee
Sir Edward Leigh (Chair) reported the draft Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025.
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).
23First Delegated Legislation Committee (Motion in the name of Secretary Peter Kyle relating to Financial Assistance to Industry)
Members: David Baines, Mr James Frith, Sarah Hall and Ben Obese-Jecty discharged and Mr Richard Holden, Charlotte Nichols, Anneliese Midgley and Josh Simons nominated in substitution.
24Second Delegated Legislation Committee (Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure (HC 773) and the Church Funds Investment Measure (HC 772))
Members: Sir John Hayes discharged and Jerome Mayhew nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
25Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Environmental protection policies of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 805);
(2) Environmental sustainability and housing growth: Written evidence, to be published (HC 439);
(3) Flood resilience in England: Written evidence, to be published (HC 550);
(4) Governing the marine environment: Written evidence, to be published (HC 551)
(Mr Toby Perkins).
Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 4.30 pm.
Debate on an e-petition (Standing Orders No. 10(1)(a) and No. 145A(7))
1UK joining the European Union
Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 700005 relating to the UK joining the European Union.—(Paul Davies.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 7.29 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers presented and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 21 March under Standing Orders No. 158 and No. 159
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 369), dated 19 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
New Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Carbon Dioxide Emission Performance Standards) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 367), dated 19 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Other papers
Explanatory Memorandum to the Medicines (Products for Human Use) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 317) (by Command) (Karin Smyth)
Withdrawn papers
Explanatory Memorandum to the Medicines (Products for Human Use) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 317) (laid 11 March)
Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 24 March
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
5Universities of Oxford and Cambridge
Statute, dated 4 November 2024, made by the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, amending the existing Statutes of the University (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Bridget Phillipson)
Papers laid under paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023
Proposal for an instrument titled Energy (Euratom Decisions and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2025, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary Ed Miliband)
Other papers
Interim Settlement: Investment and management of the strategic road network from April 2025 to March 2026 (by Act) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on HM Treasury: Lessons learned: private finance for infrastructure (by Act), to be printed (HC 767) (Clerk of the House)
MEMORANDUM
EXAMINER OF PETITIONS FOR PRIVATE BILLS
In pursuance of Standing Order 69 relating to Private Business (Appointment of Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills), the Speaker has appointed Kate Rhiannon Meanwell as an Examiner of Petitions for Private Bills.
SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATE
VOTING BY PROXY (STANDING ORDER NO. 39A)
(Variations to existing arrangements appear in bold.)
|
Member |
From |
To |
Proxy |
|
Henry Tufnell |
31 March |
30 May |
Adam Jogee |