Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 9.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office
2Business Question (Leader of the House)
The Speaker reported that the Queen had signified Royal Assent to the following Acts under the Royal Assent Act 1967:
Pension Schemes Act 2021
High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021
Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021
4Statement: The future of health and care (Secretary Matt Hancock)
5Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill: Business of the House
Ordered, That the following provisions shall apply to the proceedings on the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill:
Timetable
(1)(a) Proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall be taken at today’s sitting in accordance with this Order.
(b) Proceedings on Second Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 3.00 pm.
(c) Proceedings in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 5.00 pm
Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put
(2) When the Bill has been read a second time:
(a) it shall, despite Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme order), stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;
(b) proceedings on the Bill shall stand postponed while the Question is put, in accordance with Standing Order No. 52(1) (Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), on any financial resolution relating to the Bill;
(c) on the conclusion of proceedings on any financial resolution relating to the Bill, proceedings on the Bill shall be resumed and the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.
(3)(a) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee of the whole House, the Chairman shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.
(b) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.
(4) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (1), the Chairman or Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply:
(a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;
(b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;
(c) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a Minister of the Crown;
(d) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded;
and shall not put any other questions, other than the question on any motion described in paragraph (15)(a) of this Order.
(5) On a Motion so made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chairman or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.
(6) If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph (4)(c) on successive amendments moved or Motions made by a Minister of the Crown, the Chairman or Speaker shall instead put a single Question in relation to those amendments or Motions.
(7) If two or more Questions would fall to be put under paragraph (4)(d) in relation to successive provisions of the Bill, the Chairman shall instead put a single Question in relation to those provisions, except that the Question shall be put separately on any Clause of or Schedule to the Bill which a Minister of the Crown has signified an intention to leave out.
Consideration of Lords Amendments
(8)(a) Any Lords Amendments to the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.
(b) Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed.
(9) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Standing Order No. 83F (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (8) of this Order.
Subsequent stages
(10)(a) Any further Message from the Lords on the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.
(b) Proceedings on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed.
(11) Paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No. 83G (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on further messages from the Lords) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (10) of this Order.
Reasons Committee
(12) Paragraphs (2) to (6) of Standing Order No. 83H (Programme orders: reasons committee) apply in relation to any committee to be appointed to draw up reasons after proceedings have been brought to a conclusion in accordance with this Order.
Miscellaneous
(13) Standing Order No. 15(1)(Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on the Bill.
(14) Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings to which this Order applies.
(15)(a) No Motion shall be made, except by a Minister of the Crown, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken, to recommit the Bill or to vary or supplement the provisions of this Order.
(b) No notice shall be required of such a Motion.
(c) Such a Motion may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly.
(d) The Question on such a Motion shall be put forthwith; and any proceedings suspended under sub-paragraph (c) shall thereupon be resumed.
(e) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings on such a Motion.
(16)(a) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings to which this Order applies except by a Minister of the Crown.
(b) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.
(17)(a) The start of any debate under Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates) to be held on a day on which the Bill has been set down to be taken as an Order of the Day shall be postponed until the conclusion of any proceedings on that day to which this Order applies.
(b) Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply to proceedings in respect of any such debate.
(18) Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.—(Penny Mordaunt.)
6Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill: Second Reading
Motion made and Question proposed, That the Bill be read a second time.
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to, and Bill accordingly read a second time.
7Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill: Money
Queen’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 Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill, it is expedient to authorise:
(1) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of—(a) any sum that is to be so paid under that Act, and (b) any increase attributable to that Act in the sums that are to be so paid under any other Act;
(2) the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of—(a) any sum that is to be so paid under that Act, and (b) any increase attributable to that Act in the sums that are to be so paid under any other Act.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
8Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill: Committee of the whole House
The House resolved itself into a Committee (Order, today).
(In the Committee)
Clause 1 (Payment of maternity allowance: Ministerial office)
Amendment 3 proposed.—(Kirsten Oswald.)
At 5.00 pm, the debate was interrupted (Order, today).
The Chair put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill to a conclusion.
The following Questions were put forthwith (Order, today).
(1) That the Amendment be made (Question already proposed from the Chair).
Question negatived.
(2) That Clauses 1 to 7 stand part of the Bill (Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded).
Question agreed to.
The occupant of the Chair left the Chair to report the Bill (Order, today).
The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.
Tom Pursglove reported, That the Committee had gone through the Bill and made no Amendment.
9Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Bill: Third Reading
Since it was after 5.00 pm, the Deputy Speaker put the Question necessary to bring the remaining proceedings to a conclusion (Order, today).
Question, That the Bill be read the third time, put forthwith and agreed to.
Bill accordingly read the third time, and passed.
Subject: Response of faith groups during the COVID-19 outbreak (Stephen Timms)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Tom Pursglove.)
Adjourned at 5.34 pm until Monday 22 February (Order, 28 January).
Other Proceedings
General Committees: Reports
11Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee
Mr Laurence Robertson (Chair) reported the draft Fertilisers and Ammonium Nitrate Material (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021.
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).
12Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Juxtaposed Controls) (Amendment) Order 2021)
Members: Andrew Lewer discharged and Paul Holmes nominated in substitution.
Reports from Select Committees
13Backbench Business Committee
Determination of business to be taken on Thursday 25 February in the Chamber (Ian Mearns).
14Fixed-term Parliaments Act (Joint Committee on)
Fixed-term Parliaments Act: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1046) (John Spellar).
15International Trade Committee
UK-EU trading relationship: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1206) (Angus Brendan MacNeil).
16Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Excess Votes 2019–20: Forty-fourth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 1205);
(2) National Audit Office Main Supply Estimate: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1188);
(3) Ministry of Justice recall: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1190);
(4) Improving the prison estate: Written evidence, to be published (HC 244)
(Meg Hillier).
Welfare policy in Scotland: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 889) (Pete Wishart).
(1) Railway infrastructure in Wales: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1044);
(2) Renewable energy in Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1021)
(Stephen Crabb).
(1) DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 358);
(2) Correspondence from the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion relating to Pension Credit take-up figures: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service relating to case times: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) DWP’s response to the coronavirus outbreak: Written evidence, to be published (HC 178);
(5) Protecting pension savers—five years on from the pension freedoms: Pension scams: Written evidence, to be published (HC 648)
(Stephen Timms).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Auctioning Regulations 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Mrs Kemi Badenoch)
2Exiting the European Union (Financial Services)
Draft Recognised Auction Platforms (Amendment and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (John Glen)
Draft Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (Coronavirus) (Change of Expiry Date) Regulations 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) (Overseas Production Orders) Order 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 144), dated 10 February 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Alister Jack)
Official Controls and Phytosanitary Conditions (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 136), dated 10 February 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
Papers laid under paragraphs 3(3) and 17(3) of Schedule 7 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
Proposal for an instrument titled Patents (European Patent with Unitary Effect and Unified Patent Court) (Repeal and Revocation) Regulations 2021, with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Act) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
Other papers
7Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Sustainable Warmth: Protecting Vulnerable Households in England (by Command) (CP 391) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
8Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons
Report on progress in Government-funded research and development work relating to assistive technology (by Act) (Edward Argar)
(1) Integration and Innovation: working together to improve health and social care for all (by Command) (CP 381) (Secretary Matt Hancock)
(2) Report and Accounts of the Care Quality Commission for 2019–20, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 1175) (Ms Nadine Dorries )
Government Response to the Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament on Northern Ireland–related terrorism (by Command) (CP 383) (The Prime Minister)
Supplementary Estimate for the Electoral Commission for 2020–21 (by Act), to be printed (HC 1215) (The Speaker)
(1) Estimates for which a Vote on Account is required for 2021–22 for the Electoral Commission (by Act), to be printed (HC 1214) (The Speaker)
(2) Estimates for which a Vote on Account is required for the Local Government Boundary Commission for 2021–22 for England (by Act), to be printed (HC 1171) (The Speaker)
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 |
Tom Pursglove |
22 February |
Stuart Andrew |
Maggie Throup |
22 February |
Stuart Andrew |
2. 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 |
Mark Spencer |
22 February |
Maria Caulfield |
22 February |