Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
Prayers
Louie Thomas French, Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup, was sworn.
2Questions to the Secretary of State for Education
3Urgent Question: Power outages caused by Storm Arwen (Greg Hands)
4Statements: (1) Child safeguarding and the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (Secretary Nadhim Zahawi)
(2) COVID-19 update (Secretary Sajid Javid)
(3) Ten-year drugs strategy (Kit Malthouse)
5Armed Forces Bill: Programme (No. 4)
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Armed Forces Bill for the purpose of supplementing the Order of 8 February 2021 in the last Session of Parliament (Armed Forces Bill: Programme), as varied by the Orders of 23 June 2021 (Armed Forces Bill: Programme (No. 2)) and 13 July 2021 (Armed Forces Bill: Programme (No. 3)):
Consideration of Lords Amendments
(1) Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.
Subsequent stages
(2) Any further Message from the Lords may be considered forthwith without any Question being put.
(3) The 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.—(Leo Docherty.)
Question agreed to.
6Armed Forces Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments
Lords Amendment 1
Motion made and Question put, That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 1.—(Leo Docherty.)
The House divided.
Division No. 132
Ayes: 302 (Tellers: Alan Mak, Scott Mann)
Noes: 221 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Jessica Morden)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 1 accordingly disagreed to.
As it was more than one hour after the commencement of proceedings on Lords Amendments, the Deputy Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on Lords Amendments to a conclusion (Programme Order, today).
The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83F).
(1) That this House disagrees with the Lords in their Amendment 2 (Question on any Motion moved by a Minister of the Crown to disagree with Lords Amendments).—
(Leo Docherty.)
The House divided.
Division No. 133
Ayes: 305 (Tellers: Alan Mak, Scott Mann)
Noes: 215 (Tellers: Colleen Fletcher, Jessica Morden)
Question agreed to.
Lords Amendment 2 accordingly disagreed to.
(2) That this House agrees with the Lords in their Amendments 3 to 50 (Single Question to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments).
Question agreed 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 1 and 2.
That Leo Docherty, Alan Mak, Carol Monaghan, Stephen Morgan, James Sunderland, Liz Twist and Suzanne Webb be members of the Committee.
That Leo Docherty be the Chair of the Committee.
That three be the quorum of the Committee.
That the Committee do withdraw immediately.—(Steve Double.)
Question agreed to.
7Dormant Assets Bill [Lords]: Second Reading
Bill read a second time.
8Dormant Assets Bill [Lords]: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Dormant Assets Bill [Lords]:
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 Thursday 13 January 2022.
(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.
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 those proceedings 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.—(Steve Double.)
Question agreed to.
9Dormant Assets Bill [Lords]: 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 Dormant Assets Bill [Lords], it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of sums required by the Treasury for the purpose of making loans to, or in respect of, an authorised reclaim fund.—(Steve Double.)
Question agreed to.
10Business of the House (Today)
Ordered, That, at this day’s sitting, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to bring to a conclusion proceedings on the Motion in the name of Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg relating to the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly not later than one hour after the commencement of proceedings on the motion for this Order; such Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved; proceedings on the motion relating to the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly may be entered upon and continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Steve Double.)
11Parliamentary Partnership Assembly
Resolved, That this House:
(1) notes the provision in Article 11 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union for the establishment of a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) consisting of Members of the European Parliament and of Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom as a forum to exchange views on the partnership, which:
(a) may request relevant information regarding the implementation of that agreement and any supplementing agreement from the EU-UK Partnership Council, which shall then supply the Assembly with the requested information;
(b) shall be informed of the decisions and recommendations of the Partnership Council; and
(c) may make recommendations to the Partnership Council;
(2) agrees that a delegation from the UK Parliament consisting of 35 members should participate in such an Assembly; and
(3) confirms that the procedures currently applying to the nomination, support and funding of delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly should apply to the delegation to the EU-UK PPA.—(Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg.)
12Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval
(1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Financial Services Act 2021 (Prudential Regulation of Credit Institutions and Investment Firms) (Consequential Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021, which were laid before this House on 28 October, be approved.—(Gareth Johnson.)
Question agreed to.
(2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2021, which was laid before this House on 18 October, be approved.—(Gareth Johnson.)
Question agreed to.
13Armed Forces Bill: Reasons Committee
Leo Docherty reported that the Committee had agreed the following Reasons:
Lords Amendment 1
Because a presumption in favour of the offences in question being heard in the civilian courts is not necessary or justified.
Lords Amendment 2
Because the Commons do not consider the addition of the Secretary of State as a specified person to be necessary to address any disparity in the delivery of core services across the United Kingdom, or otherwise to achieve the aims of the Bill.
The Reasons were agreed to.
Subject: UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Dr Lisa Cameron)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Gareth Johnson.)
Adjourned at 11.28 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
General Committees: Reports
15First Delegated Legislation Committee
Yvonne Fovargue (Chair) reported the Heavy Commercial Vehicles in Kent (No. 2) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 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).
16Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill (Programming Sub-Committee)
Members: Scott Benton, Felicity Buchan, Ruth Cadbury, Colleen Fletcher, Seema Malhotra, Paul Scully and Craig Whittaker
17Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill (Programming Sub-Committee)
Members: Mike Amesbury, Lillian Greenwood, Eddie Hughes, Scott Mann, Jeff Smith, Martin Vickers and Jacob Young
18First Delegated Legislation Committee (Heavy Commercial Vehicles in Kent (No. 2) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2021)
Members: Gareth Bacon discharged and Dr Ben Spencer nominated in substitution.
19Second Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Solvency 2 (Group Supervision) (Amendment) Regulations 2021)
Members: Danny Kruger discharged and Mrs Flick Drummond nominated in substitution.
20Third Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Customs Safety and Security Procedures (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2021)
Members: Giles Watling discharged and Andrew Lewer nominated in substitution.
21Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021)
Chair: James Gray discharged and Mr Laurence Robertson appointed in substitution.
22Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee (draft Consumer Scotland Act 2020 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2022)
Members: Fiona Bruce and Alex Cunningham discharged and Miriam Cates and Bill Esterson nominated in substitution.
Reports from Select Committees
Record of the Committee’s discussions at its meeting on 6 December, to be published (Sir Charles Walker).
24Draft Online Safety Bill (Joint Committee on)
Draft Online Safety Bill: Written evidence, to be published (HC 609) (Damian Collins).
Voting by proxy: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 722) (Chris Elmore).
26Public Accounts (Committee of)
(1) Challenges in implementing digital change: Thirtieth Report, to be printed, with the formal minutes relating to the Report (HC 637);
(2) DWP employment support: Kick-start scheme: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 655);
(3) Correspondence from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office relating to superannuation accounts: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence relating to the Committee’s previous Reports: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence with the Department for Health and Social Care relating to the Community Pharmacy Indemnity Support and expansion of the COVID-19 vaccination programme: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Crossrail: A progress update: Written evidence, to be published (HC 184);
(7) DCMS recall (Broadband): Written evidence, to be published (HC 743);
(8) Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Recall (homelessness and housing): Written evidence, to be published (HC 744);
(9) HS2 Summer 2021: Written evidence, to be published (HC 329);
(10) Initial lessons from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Written evidence, to be published (HC 175);
(11) NHS supply chain finance: Written evidence, to be published (HC 745)
(Dame Meg Hillier).
(1) Secretary of State for Scotland—6 December 2021: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 941);
(2) Airports in Scotland: Written evidence, to be published (HC 601);
(3) Labour shortages in Scotland: Written evidence, to be published (HC 879);
(4) Public broadcasting in Scotland: Written evidence, to be published (HC 574)
(Pete Wishart).
(1) Future of financial services: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 147);
(2) Correspondence from the Economic Secretary to the Treasury relating to the call for evidence on the UK’s appointed representatives regime: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Payment Systems Regulator relating to card payment fees: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Economic crime: Written evidence, to be published (HC 145)
(Mel Stride).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 4.30 pm.
Debate on an e-petition (Standing Orders No. 10(1)(a) and No. 145A(7))
1Research into Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 590405, relating to research into Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.—(Elliot Colburn.)
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
Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability) (England) (Amendment) (No. 22) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 1367), dated 5 December 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Maria Caulfield)
Other papers
Government Response to the consultation on Transforming Public Procurement (by Command) (CP 556) (Michael Ellis)
3Free Trade Agreements (Communication)
Communication from the Secretary of State for International Trade to the Speaker of the House of Commons relating to the presentation of Free Trade Agreements to Parliament (by Command) (The Speaker)
4Government Resources and Accounts
Report and Accounts of United Kingdom Anti-Doping Limited for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Statutory Instrument), to be printed (HC 712) (Nigel Huddleston)
Report to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the Government's response to human rights judgments 2020–21 (by Command) (CP 562) (Secretary Dominic Raab)
Report of the Law Commission on Hate Crime Laws: Final Report (by Act), to be printed (HC 942) (Secretary Dominic Raab)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Department for International Trade: Progress with trade negotiations (by Act), to be printed (HC 862) (Clerk of the House)
Accounts of the Oil and Pipelines Agency for 2020–21, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (by Act), to be printed (HC 943) (Clerk of the House)
SPEAKER’S CERTIFICATES
Voting by proxy
New proxy voting arrangement
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), as amended on 13 July 2021, that Liz Kendall is eligible to have a proxy vote cast on her behalf, starting from Saturday 1 January 2022 and finishing on Sunday 31 July 2022. The nominated proxy is Pat McFadden.