Skip to main content

Votes and Proceedings
Monday 25 February 2021

Read the agenda for business in the House of Commons chamber, Westminster Hall and Commons Committees.

Find out more about the Votes and Proceedings

Contents

Chamber business

The House met at 2.30 pm.

Prayers

1Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

2Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (15th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))

(1) Government's proposed increase in council tax

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House calls on the Prime Minister to drop the Government’s plans to force local councils to increase council tax in the middle of a pandemic by providing councils with funding to meet the Government’s promise to do whatever is necessary to support councils in the fight against COVID-19.—(Steve Reed.)

The Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).

Question put.

The House divided.

Division No. 211

Ayes: 210 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Gill Furniss)

Noes: 0 (Tellers: John Spellar, Liz Twist)

Question accordingly agreed to.

Resolved, That this House calls on the Prime Minister to drop the Government’s plans to force local councils to increase council tax in the middle of a pandemic by providing councils with funding to meet the Government’s promise to do whatever is necessary to support councils in the fight against COVID-19.

(2) Government's plans for employment rights

Motion made and Question proposed, That this House believes that all existing employment rights and protections must be maintained, including the 48-hour working week, rest breaks at work and inclusion of overtime pay when calculating some holiday pay entitlements, and calls on the Government to set out to Parliament by the end of January 2021 a timetable to introduce legislation to end fire and re-hire tactics.—(Andy McDonald.)

The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)). 

Question put.

The House divided.

Division No. 212

Ayes: 263 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Gill Furniss)

Noes: 0 (Tellers: John Spellar, Mr Kevan Jones)

Question accordingly agreed to.

Resolved, That this House believes that all existing employment rights and protections must be maintained, including the 48-hour working week, rest breaks at work and inclusion of overtime pay when calculating some holiday pay entitlements, and calls on the Government to set out to Parliament by the end of January 2021 a timetable to introduce legislation to end fire and re-hire tactics.

3Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval

(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Plant Health (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 9 December 2020, be approved.—(James Morris.)

Question agreed to.

(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Official Controls (Animals, Feed and Food, Plant Health etc.) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1631), dated 21 December 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 December 2020, be approved.—(James Morris.)

Question agreed to.

(3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Operation of Air Services (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1632), dated 22 December 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 23 December 2020, be approved.—(James Morris.)

Question agreed to.

(4) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the Customs Miscellaneous Non-fiscal Provisions and Amendments etc. (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1624), dated 21 December 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 December 2020, be approved.—(James Morris.)

Question agreed to.

(5) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021, which was laid before this House on 17 December 2020, be approved.—(James Morris.)

The Deputy Speaker’s opinion as to the decision of the Question was challenged.

Division deferred until Wednesday 27 January (Standing Order No. 41A).

4Adjournment

Subject: Support for limited company directors during the COVID-19 outbreak (Owen Thompson)

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(James Morris.) 

Adjourned at 10.34 pm until tomorrow.

Other Proceedings

Lords Messages

5Medicines and Medical Devices Bill

The Lords agree to the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

6Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill

The Lords agree to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.

Printing of Lords Amendments

7Medicines and Medical Devices Bill

Lords Amendments to the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill, to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A (Bill 242) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 242-EN).

8Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill

Lords Amendments to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill, to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A (Bill 243) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 243-EN).

General Committees: Reports

9First Delegated Legislation Committee

Mark Pritchard (Chair) reported the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1654).

10Second Delegated Legislation Committee

David Mundell (Chair) reported the Drivers’ House and Tachographs (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1658).

11Third Delegated Legislation Committee

Mr Laurence Robertson (Chair) reported the Agricultural Products, Food and Drink (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1661) and the Organic Production (Organic Indications) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI, 2020, No. 1669).

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).

12Registers of Births and Deaths Bill Committee

Members: Kevin Foster discharged and Tom Pursglove nominated in substitution.

Reports from Select Committees

13Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

(1) Progress on devolution in England: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 174);

(2) Correspondence from the managing director of Kingspan relating to oral evidence to the Grenfell tower public inquiry: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Correspondence with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to priority vaccination for front-line homeless staff: Written evidence, to be published;

(4) The future of the planning system in England: Written evidence, to be published (HC 858)

(Mr Clive Betts).

14Public Accounts (Committee of)

(1) COVID-19: Housing rough sleepers: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 934);

(2) Correspondence from the Department of Health and Social Care relating to Designated Settings Indemnity: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Correspondence from the Department of Health and Social Care relating to the indemnity scheme for community pharmacy involvement in the vaccine delivery programme: Written evidence, to be published;

(4) Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Office relating to the New Deal for Northern Ireland: Written evidence, to be published;

(5) Correspondence with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the proposed Holocaust Memorial Victoria Tower Gardens: Written evidence, to be published;

(6) COVID-19: Support for jobs: Written evidence, to be published (HC 920);

(7) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government recall: Written evidence, to be published (HC 975)

(Meg Hillier).

15Treasury Committee

* This item has been corrected since publication. See the Votes and Proceedings from 26 January 2021 for details.

(1) Economic crime: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 917);

(2) Correspondence from HM Revenue and Customs relating to self-assessment filing penalties: Written evidence, to be published;

(3) Economic impact of coronavirus: Written evidence, to be published (HC 882);

(4) Future of financial services: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1158)

(Mel Stride).

16Welsh Affairs Committee

Wales and the Shared Prosperity Fund: Written evidence, to be published (HC 90) (Stephen Crabb).

Lindsay Hoyle

Speaker

Papers Laid

Papers presented and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on Friday 22 January 2021 under Standing Orders No. 158 and No. 159:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution

1Children and Young Persons

Special Restrictions on Adoptions from Abroad (Nigeria) Order 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 64), dated 20 January 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Vicky Ford)

2Public Health

Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Public Health Information) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 68), dated 21 January 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Grant Shapps)

Papers laid under paragraphs 3(3) and 17(3) of Schedule 7 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

3Electronic Communications

Proposal for an instrument titled Audiovisual Media Services (Amendment) Regulations 2021, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Caroline Dinenage)

Other papers

4Statutory Instruments (Notification)

Communication declaring that the undermentioned Statutory Instrument had come into operation before copies were laid before Parliament, and explaining why such copies had not been so laid before the Instrument came into operation: Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Public Health Information) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 68) (by Standing Order) (The Speaker)

Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Monday 25 January 2021

Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution

5Local Government

Draft Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) (Supplementary Provision and Amendment) Order 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Luke Hall)

Papers subject to Negative Resolution

6Criminal Law

Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Prescribed Police Stations) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 70), dated 21 January 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Priti Patel)

7Energy

Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme and Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 76), dated 25 January 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)

8Switzerland No. 2 (2021)

Temporary Agreement, done at London on 14 December 2020, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Swiss Confederation on Services Mobility (with Exchange of Letters) (CP 374) (by Command), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary Dominic Raab)

Other papers

9Budget Responsibility and National Audit

Office for Budget Responsibility: Forecast Evaluation Report (by Act) (Mrs Kemi Badenoch)

10Financial Services and Markets

Report and unaudited Financial Statements of The Money Advice Service for 2019–20 (by Act) (John Glen)

11Fisheries

Secretary of State determination of fishing opportunities for British fishing boats (by Act) (Secretary George Eustice)

SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATES

Voting by proxy

1. New pandemic proxy voting arrangements

The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), as amended by the temporary Orders of 23 September 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic) and 3 November 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic (No. 2)) and extended by the Order of 22 October 2020, that the Members listed in the table below are eligible to have a proxy vote cast on their behalf by the nominated proxies listed in the table below, starting on the dates specified below and ending on Tuesday 30 March 2021, unless the arrangement is ended or the House otherwise orders.

Member

From

Proxy

Sammy Wilson

25 January

Ian Paisley

Fiona Bruce

25 January

Stuart Andrew

Sir Alan Campbell

25 January

Mark Tami

Tom Pursglove

26 January

Stuart Andrew

Sir Robert Syms

26 January

Stuart Andrew

2. Variation of existing pandemic proxy voting arrangements

The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), as amended by the temporary Orders of 23 September 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic) and 3 November 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic (No. 2)) and extended by the Order of 22 October 2020, that the following Members have given notice that they wish to amend their proxy voting arrangement:

From 25 January 2021 the nominated proxy for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson, Jim Shannon, Paul Girvan and Carla Lockhart will be Ian Paisley instead of Sammy Wilson.

3. Ending pandemic proxy voting arrangements

The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), as amended by the temporary Orders of 23 September 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic) and 3 November 2020 (Proxy voting during the pandemic (No. 2)) and extended by the Order of 22 October 2020, that the following Members have given notice that they wish to end their proxy voting arrangement with effect from when the Speaker takes the Chair on the dates specified below:

Member

From

David Linden

25 January

Meg Hillier

25 January

Stuart Andrew

25 January

David Duguid

26 January