Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
The Clerk at the Table informed the House of the unavoidable absence of the Speaker.
Ms Nusrat Ghani, the Chairman of Ways and Means, proceeded to the Table.
Prayers
Ms Nusrat Ghani, the Chairman of Ways and Means, took the Chair as Deputy Speaker (Standing Order No. 3).
3Deputy Speakers’s Statement: The Speaker’s visit to Ukraine
4Questions to the Home Secretary
5Urgent Question: Bosnia-Herzegovina (Stephen Doughty)
6Statements: (1) Myanmar earthquake (Catherine West)
(2) Birmingham City Council (Jim McMahon)
7Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill: Consideration of Lords Message
The Deputy Speaker announced that Lords Amendments 1B, 2B, 7B and 8B, and Lords Amendments 15B, 15C, 15D and 15E to the words restored to the Bill by the Lords non-insistence on their Amendment 15, engaged financial privilege.
Lords Amendment 1B
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 1B.—(Jim McMahon.)
The House divided.
Division No. 157
Ayes: 296 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Noes: 170 (Tellers: Jerome Mayhew, Rebecca Paul)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 1B accordingly disagreed to.
Lords Amendment 2B
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 2B.—(Jim McMahon.)
The House divided.
Division No. 158
Ayes: 301 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Noes: 104 (Tellers: Jerome Mayhew, Rebecca Paul)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 2B accordingly disagreed to.
Lords Amendment 7B disagreed to.
Lords Amendment 8B disagreed to.
Lords Amendment 13B
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 13B.—(Jim McMahon.)
The House divided.
Division No. 159
Ayes: 301 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Noes: 167 (Tellers: Jerome Mayhew, Rebecca Paul)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 13B accordingly disagreed to.
As it was more than one hour after the commencement of consideration of the Lords Message, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on the Lords Message to a conclusion (Programme Order, 25 March).
The following Question was put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83G).
That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendments 15B, 15C, 15D and 15E to the words restored to the Bill by the Lords non-insistence on their Amendment 15 (Question on a motion made by a Minister of the Crown on or relevant to remaining items in the Lords Message).—(Jim McMahon.)
The House divided.
Division No. 160
Ayes: 302 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Noes: 167 (Tellers: Jerome Mayhew, Rebecca Paul)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendments 15B, 15C, 15D and 15E accordingly disagreed to.
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83H(2)), That a Committee be appointed to draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to their Amendments 1B, 2B, 7B, 8B and 13B, and to their Amendments 15B, 15C, 15D and 15E to the words restored to the Bill by the Lords non-insistence on their Amendment 15;
That Emily Darlington, Mark Ferguson, Kevin Hollinrake, Gen Kitchen, Jim McMahon, Tessa Munt and Harpreet Uppal be members of the Committee;
That Jim McMahon be the Chair of the Committee;
That three be the quorum of the Committee;
That the Committee do withdraw immediately.—(Gerald Jones.)
Question agreed to.
8Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords]: Consideration of the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee
New Clause NC1—(Ian Sollom)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 161
Ayes: 168 (Tellers: Tessa Munt, Susan Murray)
Noes: 302 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Question negatived.
New Clause NC4—(Neil O'Brien)—brought up, and read the first time.
Question put, That the Clause be read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 162
Ayes: 167 (Tellers: David Simmonds, Ben Obese-Jecty)
Noes: 306 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Question negatived.
As it was less than one hour before the moment of interruption, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on Consideration to a conclusion (Programme Order, 25 February).
The following Question was put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83E).
That Amendment 6 be made (Amendment selected by the Deputy Speaker for separate decision).—(Neil O'Brien.)
The House divided.
Division No. 163
Ayes: 166 (Tellers: David Simmonds, Ben Obese-Jecty)
Noes: 305 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Question negatived.
Consideration completed.
9Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords]: Third Reading
Motion made and Question put, That the Bill be now read the third time.
The House divided.
Division No. 164
Ayes: 304 (Tellers: Vicky Foxcroft, Gen Kitchen)
Noes: 62 (Tellers: Tessa Munt, Susan Murray)
Question agreed to and Bill passed with Amendments.
10Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2025, which were laid before this House on 13 February, be approved.—(Kate Dearden.)
The House divided.
Division No. 165
Ayes: 296 (Tellers: Gen Kitchen, Vicky Foxcroft)
Noes: 164 (Tellers: Rebecca Paul, Jerome Mayhew)
Question agreed to.
11Changes to membership of select committees
(1) Ordered, That Gill Furniss be discharged from the Administration Committee and Bambos Charalambous be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
(2) Ordered, That Matt Bishop be discharged from the Finance Committee and Paul Davies be added.—(Jessica Morden, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
Subject: Funding for the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme and increasing capacity on the Brighton Mainline (Natasha Irons)
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Kate Dearden.)
At 10 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Kate Dearden.)
Adjourned at 10.05 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Reasons Committees: Reports
13Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill: Reasons Committee
Jim McMahon reported that the Committee had agreed the following Reasons:
Lords Amendments 1B, 2B, 7B and 8B, and Lords Amendments 15B, 15C, 15D and 15E to the words restored to the Bill by the Lords non-insistence on their Amendment 15
Because the Lords Amendment interferes with the public revenue and affects the levy and application of local revenues, and the Commons do not offer any further Reason, trusting that this Reason may be deemed sufficient.
Lords Amendment 13B
Because the Government has already agreed to publish information about the new multipliers and further provision is not necessary.
General Committees: Reports
14First Delegated Legislation Committee
Dr Rupa Huq (Chair) reported the draft Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025.
15Second Delegated Legislation Committee
Wera Hobhouse (Chair) reported the draft Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) 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).
16First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025)
Members: Sarah Dyke discharged and Pippa Heylings nominated in substitution.
17Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025)
Members: Mr Bayo Alaba, Aphra Brandreth and Pippa Heylings discharged and Blake Stephenson, Chris Vince and Claire Young nominated in substitution.
Select Committees: Reports
18Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Fixing NHS Dentistry: Twenty-first Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 648);
(2) Condition of Government properties: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 641);
(3) Asylum accommodation: Home Office acquisition of former HMP Northeye: Written evidence, to be published (HC 361);
(4) Correspondence from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to the European Union Finances Statement 2024: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary to the Home Office relating to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the Building Safety Levy: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence relating to the Committee’s previous Reports: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Government cyber resilience: Written evidence, to be published (HC 643);
(9) Prison estate capacity: Written evidence, to be published (HC 366);
(10) Tackling violence against women and girls: Written evidence, to be published (HC 644)
(Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown).
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 4.30 pm.
Debate on an e-petition (Standing Orders No. 10(1)(a) and No. 145A(7))
1Rules for political donations
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered e-petition 707189 relating to the rules for political donations.—(Irene Campbell.)
The sitting was suspended between 5.48 pm and 6.40 pm for divisions in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 707189 relating to the rules for political donations.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 6.51 pm until tomorrow.
Ms Nusrat Ghani
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Finance Act 2021 (Increase in Schedule 26 Penalty Percentages) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (James Murray)
Draft Investigatory Powers (Codes of Practice, Review of Notices and Technical Advisory Board) Regulations 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 413), dated 27 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Justin Madders)
Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) (Amendment) (Fees) Rules 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 405), dated 27 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 407), dated 27 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Justin Madders)
Multinational Top-up Tax (Pillar Two Territories, Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes and Accredited Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 406), dated 27 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (James Murray)
National Security Act 2023 (Foreign Activities and Foreign Influence Registration Scheme: Information and Disclosure) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 408), dated 28 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 402), dated 26 March 2025 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Heidi Alexander)
Other papers
(1) Draft Code of Practice on Bulk Personal Datasets: Low or no reasonable expectation of privacy (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(2) Draft Code of Practice on intelligence services’ use of third party bulk personal datasets (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(3) Draft Code of Practice on the Notices Regime (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(4) Draft Revised Code of Practice on Communications Data (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(5) Draft Revised Code of Practice on Equipment Interference (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(6) Draft Revised Code of Practice on intelligence services’ retention and use of bulk personal datasets (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(7) Draft Revised Code of Practice on the Bulk Acquisition of Communications Data (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
(8) Draft Revised Code of Practice on the Interception of Communications (by Act) (Secretary Yvette Cooper)
Reform of Local Justice Areas: Consultation on the future administrative structures of the magistracy (by Command) (CP 1286) (Secretary Shabana Mahmood)
(1) Financial directions to NHS England for 2025–26 (by Act) (Karin Smyth)
(2) Revised financial directions to NHS England for 2024–25 (by Act) (Karin Smyth)