Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Wales
(2) the Prime Minister
2Abuse of Public-facing Workers (Offences): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for and in connection with offences relating to verbal and physical abuse of public-facing workers in the course of their employment;
That Olivia Blake, Andrew Gwynne, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Rachel Hopkins, Kim Johnson, Navendu Mishra and Kate Osborne present the Bill.
Olivia Blake accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 28 January 2022, and to be printed (Bill 163).
3Opposition Day: Leader of the Opposition (5th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14))
(1) Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House calls on the Government to cancel its planned cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit which from the end of September 2021 will reduce support for many hardworking families by £1,040 a year.—(Jonathan Reynolds.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put.
The House divided.
Division No. 74
Ayes: 253 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Taiwo Owatemi)
Noes: 0 (Tellers: Lilian Greenwood, Mark Tami)
Question accordingly agreed to.
Resolved, That this House calls on the Government to cancel its planned cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit which from the end of September 2021 will reduce support for many hardworking families by £1,040 a year.
(2) Joint Committee to investigate the withdrawal from Afghanistan
Motion made and question proposed, (1) That it is expedient:
(a) that a Joint Committee of Lords and Commons be appointed for the remainder of the current session to consider:
(i) Government policy on Afghanistan from the Doha Agreement in February 2020 to the conclusion of Operation Pitting on 27 August 2021;
(ii) the intelligence assessments made of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan during this period, the extent to which those assessments were accurate, and the decisions taken by Ministers in response to that intelligence;
(iii) the ARAP scheme, including eligibility for the scheme, and policy towards civilian resettlement;
(iv) the planning of the Government, including any contingency planning, the crisis management process of the Government, and planning for the availability of Ministers if the situation deteriorated; and
(b) that the Chair of the Committee shall be a backbench Member of a party represented in Her Majesty’s Government and shall be elected by the House of Commons under arrangements approved by Mr Speaker;
(2) That a Select Committee of eight Members be appointed to join with any committee to be appointed by the Lords for this purpose.
(3) That the Committee should publish its first report no later than 31 March 2022.
(4) That the Committee shall have power:
(a) to send for persons, papers and records;
(b) to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;
(c) to report from time to time;
(d) to appoint specialist advisers; and
(e) to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom.
(5) That the quorum of the Committee shall be three.
(6) That, in addition to the Chair elected under paragraph (1)(b) above, the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, the Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy and the Chairs of the Defence Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Home Affairs Committee, the International Development Committee and the International Trade Committee shall be members of the Committee.—(Lisa Nandy.)
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Sir Alan Campbell claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).
Question put, That the Question be now put.
Question agreed to and Question accordingly put.
The House divided.
Division No. 75
Ayes: 222 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Mary Glindon)
Noes: 292 (Tellers: James Morris, Alan Mak)
Main Question accordingly negatived.
4Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Introduction and the Import of Cultural Goods (Revocation) Regulations 2021, which were laid before this House on 19 May, be approved.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
(1) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Arundel and South Downs relating to the proposed Heath Common development was presented and read by Andrew Griffith.
(2) A public petition from residents of the constituency of Rugby relating to Rugby Community Ambulance Station was presented and read by Mark Pawsey.
Subject: Demutualisation of Liverpool Victoria (Gareth Thomas)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Adjourned at 7.41 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
7Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
First Reading and Printing of Lords Bills
8Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow and to be printed (Bill 164), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 164–EN).
General Committees: Reports
9Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill Committee
Judith Cummins (Chair) reported written evidence submitted to the Committee.
Written evidence to be published.
Christina Rees (Chair) reported:
(1) That the Committee had come to the following Resolution, That, subject to the discretion of the Chair, any written evidence received by the Committee shall be reported to the House for publication; and
(2) Written evidence.
11Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee
Geraint Davies (Chair) reported the Draft Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 2021.
12Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee
Mrs Sheryll Murray (Chair) reported the draft Capital Requirements Regulation (Amendment) 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).
13Nationality and Borders Bill Committee
Members: Stuart Anderson, Duncan Baker, Paul Blomfield, Bambos Charalambous, Neil Coyle, Mr Robert Goodwill, Mrs Helen Grant, Jonathan Gullis, Paul Howell, Holly Lynch, Stuart C McDonald, Anne McLaughlin, Taiwo Owatemi, Chris Philp, Tom Pursglove, Nicola Richards and Mike Wood
14First Delegated Legislation Committee (Motion in the name of Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng relating to financial assistance to industry)
Members: Bim Afolami, Dawn Butler, Martin Docherty-Hughes, Dr Luke Evans, Colleen Fletcher, Katherine Fletcher, Ms Harriet Harman, Sally-Ann Hart, Sir Mark Hendrick, Antony Higginbotham, Catherine McKinnell, Scott Mann, Mark Menzies, Chi Onwurah, Amanda Solloway, Dr Jamie Wallis and Jacob Young
15Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Members: Apsana Begum, Miss Sarah Dines, Dave Doogan, Mark Eastwood, Ruth Edwards, Laura Farris, Nick Fletcher, Mary Glindon, Tom Hunt, Dan Jarvis, Fay Jones, Rebecca Long Bailey, James Morris, Joy Morrissey, Victoria Prentis, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Daniel Zeichner
16Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure (HC 689))
Members: Tahir Ali, Caroline Ansell, Andy Carter, Maria Caulfield, Chris Clarkson, Katherine Fletcher, Lilian Greenwood, Dr Rupa Huq, Mark Jenkinson, Damien Moore, Andrew Selous, Dr Ben Spencer, Zarah Sultana, Mark Tami, Matt Vickers, Beth Winter and Mohammad Yasin
17Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Water and Sewerage Undertakers (Exit from Non-household Retail Market) (Consequential Provision) Regulations 2021)
Members: Shaun Bailey, Paula Barker, Olivia Blake, Maria Eagle, Simon Fell, Barry Gardiner, Jane Hunt, Fay Jones, Danny Kruger, Robert Largan, Siobhain McDonagh, Mr Gagan Mohindra, James Morris, Taiwo Owatemi, Rebecca Pow, Gary Sambrook and Nadia Whittome
Reports from Select Committees
18Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Pre-appointment hearing for Chair of Ofcom: Written evidence, to be published (HC 48) (Julian Knight).
19Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Water quality in rivers: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 74);
(2) Mapping the path to net zero: Written evidence, to be published (HC 497);
(3) Sustainability of the built environment: Written evidence, to be published (HC 76);
(4) Technological innovations and climate change: supply chain for battery electric vehicles: Written evidence, to be published (HC 77)
(Philip Dunne).
The institutional framework of the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 450) (Sir William Cash).
21Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Local government and the path to net zero: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 34) (Mr Clive Betts).
22Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) Legislative scrutiny: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: Youth Justice: Sixth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 451);
(2) Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department relating to the immigration bail pilots and whistleblowing review: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Freedom of expression: Written evidence, to be published (HC 88);
(4) Legislative scrutiny: The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 91)
(Ms Harriet Harman).
23International Trade Committee
(1) UK Export Finance: Second Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 126);
(2) UK trade remedies policy: Trade Remedies Authority Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2019–21: Third Special Report, to be printed (HC 707);
(3) COP26 and international trade: Written evidence, to be published (HC 605);
(4) Correspondence from the Chair of the LSE Economic Diplomacy Commission: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Chair of the Trade Remedies Authority: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence from the Minister for Exports: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence from the Minister of State for Trade Policy: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Correspondence with the Secretary of State: Written evidence, to be published;
(9) UK trade negotiations: Written evidence, to be published (HC 127)
(Angus Brendan MacNeil).
24Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
(1) The experience of minority ethnic and migrant people in Northern Ireland: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 159);
(2) Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol: Written evidence, to be published (HC 157)
(Simon Hoare).
25Science and Technology Committee
(1) Biometrics and forensics: follow-up: Written evidence, to be published (HC 467);
(2) Correspondence from the Environment Agency relating to Japanese Knotweed: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy relating to R&D public investment: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) The role of hydrogen in achieving Net Zero: Written evidence, to be published (HC 97)
(Greg Clark).
26Science and Technology Committee and Health and Social Care Committee
Coronavirus: lessons learnt: Part of the written evidence, to be published (HC 92) (Greg Clark).
27Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Eleventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 56-xi) (Jessica Morden).
Decarbonising transport: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 698) (Huw Merriman).
(1) The Future Framework for Regulation of Financial Services: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report: Fourth Special Report, to be printed (HC 709);
(2) An Equal Recovery: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 152);
(3) Correspondence from the Financial Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Health and Social Care Levy: Written evidence, to be published
(Mel Stride).
30Women and Equalities Committee
(1) Gender sensitive Parliament: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 131);
(2) Correspondence with the Minister for Women and Equalities relating to the appointment of Social Mobility Commission Chair and Commissioners: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Menopause in the workplace: Written evidence, to be published (HC 602);
(4) The reform of the Gender Recognition Act: Written evidence, to be published (HC 129);
(5) The rights of cohabiting partners: Written evidence, to be published (HC 130)
(Caroline Nokes).
(1) Children in poverty: Measurements and targets: Third Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 188);
(2) The work of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 671)
(Stephen Timms).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 9.30 am
Business appointed by the Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6))
1Back British Farming Day and the future of domestic agriculture
Resolved, That this House has considered Back British Farming Day and the future of domestic agriculture.—(Theo Clarke.)
The sitting was suspended between 10.56 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
2Opportunities for geothermal energy extraction
Resolved, That this House has considered opportunities for geothermal energy extraction.—(Owen Thompson.)
The sitting was suspended between 3.35 pm and 4.00 pm.
3City status for Merthyr Tydfil
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of city status for Merthyr Tydfil.—(Gerald Jones.)
The sitting was suspended between 4.18 pm and 4.30 pm.
The sitting was suspended between 4.30 pm and 4.45 pm for a division in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
4Government’s levelling up agenda
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the Government’s levelling up agenda.—(Dan Jarvis.)
At 5.45 pm, the motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.45 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies (Administration) (Amendment) Order 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1048), dated 15 September 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (John Glen)
Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Early Conciliation: Exemptions and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1037), dated 13 September 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Prudential Regulation of FCA Investment Firms) (Definitions for the purposes of Part 9C) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1046), dated 14 September 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (John Glen)
(1) Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) and Persons subject to Immigration Control (Housing Authority Accommodation and Homelessness) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1045), dated 14 September 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Eddie Hughes)
(2) Immigration and Nationality (Replacement of T2 Sportsperson Route and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1035), dated 13 September 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Secretary Priti Patel)
Other papers
Account of Funds in Court in England and Wales for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 711) (Clerk of the House)
6Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of LocatED Property Limited for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 614) (Nick Gibb)
(1) Report and Accounts of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(2) Report and Accounts of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(3) Report and Accounts of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(4) Report and Accounts of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(5) Report and Accounts of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(6) Report and Accounts of Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(7) Report and Accounts of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(8) Report and Accounts of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust for 2020–21 (by Act) (Secretary Sajid Javid)