Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 11.30 am.
Prayers
1Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Scotland
(2) the Prime Minister
2Statement: G20 and COP26 World Leaders’ Summit (The Prime Minister)
3Schools and Educational Settings (Essential Infrastructure and Opening During Emergencies): 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 educational settings including early years, schools, colleges and universities to be classified as essential infrastructure and remain open to all students during public health and other national emergencies; and for connected purposes;
That Robert Halfon, Edward Timpson, Tim Loughton, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Christian Wakeford, Tom Hunt, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Greg Smith, Siobhan Baillie, Miriam Cates, Munira Wilson and David Warburton present the Bill.
Robert Halfon accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 4 February 2022, and to be printed (Bill 186).
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House—
(1) approves the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797);
(2) endorses the recommendation in paragraph 212; and
(3) accordingly suspends Mr Owen Paterson from the service of the House for a period of thirty sitting days.—(Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg.)
Amendment moved, to leave out from “House” to the end of the Question and add—
“(1) notes the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797);
(2) notes concerns expressed about potential defects in the standards system and therefore declines to consider the report at this time;
(3) and resolves:
(a) that a Select Committee be appointed to consider and make recommendations by 3 February 2022 on the following matters:
(i) whether the current standards system should give Members of Parliament the same or similar rights as apply to those subject to investigations of alleged misconduct in other workplaces and professions, including the right of representation, examination of witness and appeal;
(ii) the extent to which the procedures under Standing Orders Nos. 149, 149A and 150 should be made consistent with the principles of natural justice;
(iii) whether the case against Mr Owen Paterson should be reviewed or whether the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797) should be reconsidered by the House;
(iv) and such other matters as appear to the Committee to be connected with the matters set out above,
and calls on the Government to bring forward a motion to give effect to any recommendations of the Committee within five sitting days of the publication of the Committee’s report;
(b) that the Committee consist of nine Members;
(c) that Mr John Whittingdale be Chair of the Committee and be given a casting vote in the event of tie;
(d) that the Committee shall consist of eight other backbench members; to be nominated by parties in the proportion of four Conservative, three Labour and one SNP; nominations shall be submitted to the Committee of Selection no later than 15 November, after that date motions for nomination can be made notwithstanding any gaps in membership, and any motion made in the House on behalf of the Committee of Selection by the Chair or another member of the Committee shall be treated as having been made in pursuance of Standing Order No. 121(2) for the purposes of Standing Order No. 15(1)(c);
(e) that the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to adjourn from place to place, to report from time to time, to appoint legal advisers, and to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee’s order of reference.”.—(Andrea Leadsom.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The House divided.
Division No. 99
Ayes: 250 (Tellers: Scott Mann, Michael Tomlinson)
Noes: 232 (Tellers: Mary Glindon, Colleen Fletcher)
Question accordingly agreed to.
Main Question, as amended, put forthwith (Order, 2 November).
The House divided.
Division No. 100
Ayes: 248 (Tellers: Scott Mann, Michael Tomlinson)
Noes: 221 (Tellers: Mary Glindon, Colleen Fletcher)
Question accordingly agreed to.
Resolved, That this House—
(1) notes the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797); and
(2) notes concerns expressed about potential defects in the standards system and therefore declines to consider the report at this time.
Ordered, That—
(a) a Select Committee be appointed to consider and make recommendations by 3 February 2022 on the following matters:
(i) whether the current standards system should give Members of Parliament the same or similar rights as apply to those subject to investigations of alleged misconduct in other workplaces and professions, including the right of representation, examination of witness and appeal;
(ii) the extent to which the procedures under Standing Orders Nos. 149, 149A and 150 should be made consistent with the principles of natural justice;
(iii) whether the case against Mr Owen Paterson should be reviewed or whether the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797) should be reconsidered by the House;
(iv) and such other matters as appear to the Committee to be connected with the matters set out above,
and calls on the Government to bring forward a motion to give effect to any recommendations of the Committee within five sitting days of the publication of the Committee’s report;
(b) the Committee consist of nine Members;
(c) Mr John Whittingdale be Chair of the Committee and be given a casting vote in the event of tie;
(d) the Committee shall consist of eight other backbench members; to be nominated by parties in the proportion of four Conservative, three Labour and one SNP; nominations shall be submitted to the Committee of Selection no later than 15 November, after that date motions for nomination can be made notwithstanding any gaps in membership, and any motion made in the House on behalf of the Committee of Selection by the Chair or another member of the Committee shall be treated as having been made in pursuance of Standing Order No. 121(2) for the purposes of Standing Order No. 15(1)(c); and
(e) the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to adjourn from place to place, to report from time to time, to appoint legal advisers, and to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee’s order of reference.
5Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill: Second Reading
Motion made and Question put, That the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill be now read a second time.
The House divided.
Division No. 101
Ayes: 319 (Tellers: Scott Mann, Michael Tomlinson)
Noes: 44 (Tellers: Richard Thomson, Hannah Bardell)
Question accordingly agreed to, and Bill read a second time.
6Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Nuclear Energy (Financing) 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 30 November 2021.
(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.
Proceedings on 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 proceedings on Consideration 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.—(Mrs Heather Wheeler.)
The House divided.
Division No. 102
Ayes: 256 (Tellers: Scott Mann, Michael Tomlinson)
Noes: 80 (Tellers: Taiwo Owatemi, Lilian Greenwood)
Question accordingly agreed to.
7Nuclear Energy (Financing) 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 Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of—
(1) any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State by virtue of the Act,
(2) any expenditure incurred by the Competition and Markets Authority by virtue of the Act,
(3) any expenditure incurred by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority by virtue of the Act, and
(4) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided.—(Rebecca Harris.)
Question agreed to.
8Nuclear Energy (Financing) 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 Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill, it is expedient to authorise—
(1) provisions by virtue of which persons may be required to make payments, or provide financial collateral, for the purposes of, or in connection with, enabling a revenue collection counterparty to discharge obligations in relation to revenue collection contracts;
(2) the imposition, by virtue of the Act, of charges or payments under licences issued under the Electricity Act 1989; and
(3) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.
In this Resolution, “revenue collection counterparty” and “revenue collection contract” have the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Bill.—(Rebecca Harris.)
Question agreed to.
9Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
Resolved, That Jackie Doyle-Price be appointed to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, until the end of the present Parliament, in pursuance of paragraph 1(d) of Schedule 3 to the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended.—(Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg.)
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Disability Assistance for Children and Young People) (Consequential Modifications) (No. 2) Order 2021, which was laid before this House on 7 September, be approved.—(Rebecca Harris.)
Question agreed to.
11Business of the House (4 November)
Ordered, That, at the sitting on Thursday 4 November, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (4) of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) in respect of precedence, the motion in the name of Wendy Morton relating to the Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1146) shall have precedence over the business determined for that day by the Backbench Business Committee; that business may then be proceeded with until 5.00 pm or for five hours, whichever is the later, and shall then lapse if not previously disposed of; those proceedings may be entered upon and continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Rebecca Harris.)
12Business of the House (8 November)
Ordered, That, at the sitting on Monday 8 November, notwithstanding paragraph (2)(c)(i) of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), business in the name of the Leader of the Opposition may be entered upon at any hour and may be proceeded with, though opposed, for three hours; proceedings shall then lapse if not previously disposed of; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Rebecca Harris.)
Subject: Contribution of kennels and catteries to the economy and society (Sara Britcliffe)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Rebecca Harris.)
Adjourned at 7.27 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
14Critical Benchmarks (References and Administrators’ Liability) Bill [Lords]
The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision about the meaning of references to Article 23A benchmarks in contracts and other arrangements; and to make provision about the liability of administrators of Article 23A benchmarks, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
First Reading and Printing of Lords Bills
15Critical Benchmarks (References and Administrators’ Liability) Bill [Lords]
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 185), with Explanatory Notes (Bill 185–EN).
General Committees: Reports
16Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Bill
Hannah Bardell (Chair) reported the Bill without amendment.
Bill, not amended, to be considered on Friday 21 January 2022.
17Second Delegated Legislation Committee
Mr Laurence Robertson (Chair) reported the draft Green Gas Support Scheme 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).
18Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill Committee
Members: Apsana Begum, Olivia Blake, James Daly, Dave Doogan, Dr Luke Evans, Mary Glindon, James Grundy, Dr Neil Hudson, Kim Johnson, Ben Lake, Cherilyn Mackrory, Robbie Moore, Victoria Prentis, Selaine Saxby, Jane Stevenson, Mrs Heather Wheeler and Daniel Zeichner
19First Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Antique Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Members: Harriett Baldwin, Steven Bonnar, Ben Bradley, Mr Ben Bradshaw, Dr James Davies, Ms Harriet Harman, Kim Johnson, Conor McGinn, Catherine McKinnell, Kit Malthouse, Mr Gagan Mohindra, Taiwo Owatemi, Selaine Saxby, Henry Smith, Julian Sturdy, James Sunderland and Craig Whittaker
20Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Green Gas Support Scheme Regulations 2021)
Members: Jacob Young discharged and Sarah Atherton nominated in substitution.
21Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Conformity Assessment (Mutual Recognition Agreements) (Construction Products) (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Members: Mike Amesbury, Liam Byrne, Dan Carden, Sarah Champion, Mr Jonathan Djanogly, James Duddridge, Jo Gideon, Lilian Greenwood, Jonathan Gullis, Mr Philip Hollobone, Mrs Pauline Latham, Scott Mann, Christopher Pincher, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Chris Stephens, Jeremy Wright and Jacob Young
Reports from Select Committees
(1) Strengthening Home Education: Government Response to the Committee's Third Report: First Special Report, to be printed (HC 823);
(2) Accountability hearings: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 82)
(Robert Halfon).
23Environmental Audit Committee
(1) Carbon border adjustment mechanism: Written evidence, to be published (HC 737);
(2) Net zero aviation and shipping: Written evidence, to be published (HC 520);
(3) Technological innovations and climate change: negative emissions technologies: Written evidence, to be published (HC 738);
(4) Water quality in rivers: Written evidence, to be published (HC 74)
(Mr Robert Goodwill).
(1) Eleventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 121-x);
(2) Product safety in the UK and the Northern Ireland Protocol: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 786);
(3) Ministerial correspondence: Written evidence, to be published (HC 121)
(Anne Marie Morris).
(1) Appointment of the Chair of the Gangmasters and the Labour Abuse Authority:
(i) Fourth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 814);
(ii) Oral evidence, to be published;
(2) Correspondence from the Home Secretary relating to the Spending Review 2021: Written evidence, to be published
(Yvette Cooper).
26Human Rights (Joint Committee on)
(1) Legislative Scrutiny: Nationality and Borders Bill (Part 1) – Nationality: Seventh Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 764);
(2) Proposal for a draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2021: discrimination against cohabiting partners: Eighth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 594);
(3) Correspondence regarding visiting restrictions in care settings: Written evidence, to be published (HC 714);
(4) Freedom of expression: Written evidence, to be published (HC 88);
(5) Legislative Scrutiny: Nationality and Borders Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 588);
(6) Proposal for a draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2021: Written evidence, to be published (HC 594)
(Ms Harriet Harman).
27International Trade Committee
UK-EU trading relationship: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 493) (Angus Brendan MacNeil).
28Science and Technology Committee
UK space strategy and UK satellite infrastructure: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 98) (Greg Clark).
29Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee on)
Fourteenth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 56-xiv) (Jessica Morden).
(1) The benefits system in Wales: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 337);
(2) The economic and cultural impacts of trade and environmental policy on family farms in Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 607)
(Stephen Crabb).
31Women and Equalities Committee
(1) The rights of cohabiting partners: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 130);
(2) Correspondence from the Minister for Equalities relating to the proposals to ban conversion therapy: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Minister for Women and Equalities relating to the Government Equalities Office finances: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Menopause and the workplace: Written evidence, to be published (HC 602);
(5) Take-up of COVID-19 vaccines in BAME communities and women: Written evidence, to be published (HC 850)
(Caroline Nokes).
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))
Resolved, That this House has considered the hospital building programme.—(Dr Kieran Mullan.)
2Banning trophy hunting imports and the protection of endangered species
Resolved, That this House has considered the matter of banning trophy hunting imports and the protection of endangered species.—(Mrs Pauline Latham.)
The sitting was suspended between 11.21 am and 2.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, Sudan and Tigray
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, Sudan and Tigray.—(Jeremy Corbyn.)
The sitting was suspended between 3.29 pm and 3.55 pm for divisions in the House (Standing Order No. 10(3)).
At 4.26 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
4Adult dependent relative visas
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered adult dependent relative visas.—(Stephen Timms.)
At 4.56 pm, the Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).
5Medical cannabis under prescription for children with epilepsy
Motion made and Question proposed, That this House has considered medical cannabis under prescription for children with epilepsy.—(Alberto Costa.)
The Chair announced a time limit on backbench speeches (under the authority of the Chairman of Ways and Means and Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Resolved, That this House has considered medical cannabis under prescription for children with epilepsy.
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 5.54 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Animal Health, Plant Health, Seeds and Seed Potatoes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1229), dated 2 November 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
Other papers
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Cross-government: The UK border: Post UK-EU transition period (by Act), to be printed (HC 736) (Clerk of the House)