Contents
Chamber business
The House met at 2.30 pm.
Prayers
The Speaker announced his decision to give precedence to a complaint made by the Leader of the Opposition concerning the Prime Minister's statements to the House regarding gatherings held at Downing Street and Whitehall during the COVID-19 pandemic related lockdowns.
Motion to be given precedence at the commencement of public business on Thursday 21 April.
2Questions to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
3Statements: (1) Global migration challenges (Secretary Priti Patel)
(2) Easter recess: Government update (The Prime Minister)
(3) Energy Security Strategy (Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng)
4Sewage Discharges: Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide for mandatory targets and timescales for the ending of sewage discharges into waterways and coastal areas; to make provision about the powers of Ofwat to monitor and enforce compliance with those targets and timescales; to require water companies to publish quarterly reports on the impact of sewage discharges on the natural environment, animal welfare and human health; to require the membership of water company boards to include at least one representative of an environmental group; and for connected purposes;
That Tim Farron, Ed Davey, Daisy Cooper, Mr Alistair Carmichael, Sarah Green, Wera Hobhouse, Christine Jardine, Layla Moran, Helen Morgan, Sarah Olney, Jamie Stone and Munira Wilson present the Bill.
Tim Farron accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 6 May, and to be printed (Bill 303).
5Online Safety Bill: Second Reading
Motion made and Question proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time.
The Deputy Speaker announced a time limit on backbench speeches (Standing Order No. 47(1)).
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
6Online Safety Bill: Programme
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Online Safety 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 Thursday 30 June 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.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
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 Online Safety Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of:
(1) any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of the Act by the Secretary of State, and
(2) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
8Online Safety 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 Online Safety Bill, it is expedient to authorise:
(1) the charging of fees under the Act, and
(2) the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 41A(3)), That at this day’s sitting, Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply to the Motion in the name of Secretary Nadine Dorries relating to Online Safety Bill: Carry-over.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
10Online Safety Bill: Carry-over
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 80A(1)(a)), That if, at the conclusion of this Session of Parliament, proceedings on the Online Safety Bill have not been completed, they shall be resumed in the next Session.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Question agreed to.
Subject: Southampton's bid to be the UK's City of Culture 2025 (Caroline Nokes)
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Michael Tomlinson.)
Adjourned at 10.22 pm until tomorrow.
Other Proceedings
Lords Messages
12Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
The Lords do not insist on certain Amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to which the Commons have disagreed; they agree with the Commons in their certain Amendments in lieu; they insist on other Amendments to which the Commons have disagreed, do insist on their disagreement to Amendments proposed by the Commons, and disagree to certain other Amendments proposed by the Commons for which they assign a Reason; and propose an Amendment instead of the words left out of the Bill, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
The Lords have passed the Building Safety Bill with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
14Nationality and Borders Bill
The Lords do not insist on certain Amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill to which the Commons have disagreed; they agree to certain Amendments proposed by the Commons; they propose Amendments to the words so restored to the Bill to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; they propose Amendments in lieu to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; and they insist on an Amendment disagreed to by the Commons.
The Lords do not insist on certain Amendments to the Health and Care Bill to which the Commons have disagreed; they agree to certain Amendments proposed by the Commons in lieu; they propose Amendments in lieu and Amendments to the words so restored to the Bill to which they desire the agreement of the Commons; and they insist on an Amendment disagreed to by the Commons, disagree to Amendments proposed by the Commons in lieu and propose Amendments instead of the words so left out of the Bill to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
16Judicial Review and Courts Bill
The Lords have passed the Judicial Review and Courts Bill with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons.
Printing of Lords Amendments
17Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Lords Message in relation to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 298) pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A.
Lords Amendments to the Building Safety Bill, to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A (Bill 299) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 299–EN).
19Nationality and Borders Bill
Lords Message in relation to the Nationality and Borders Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 300) pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A.
Lords Message in relation to the Health and Care Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 301) pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A.
21Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Lords Amendments to the Judicial Review and Courts Bill, to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed pursuant to Standing Orders No. 78 and No. 57A (Bill 302) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 302–EN).
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).
22Third Delegated Legislation Committee (Judicial Pensions Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 319))
Members: James Cartlidge discharged and Victoria Atkins nominated in substitution.
Reports from Select Committees relating to orders for printing made during the adjournment under Standing Order No. 137
Monday 4 April
Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the use of snares: Written evidence, to be published (Clerk of the House).
Tuesday 5 April
(1) Correspondence from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations relating to the Intergovernmental Relations Annual Report: Written evidence, to be published
(2) Grid capacity in Wales: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1092)
(Clerk of the House).
Friday 8 April
Correspondence with the Prime Minister relating to his appearance before the Committee on 30 March 2022: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1211) (Clerk of the House).
Thursday 14 April
(1) Correspondence with the Minister of State for School Standards relating to e-petition 576563 on water safety: Written evidence, to be published;
(2) Public engagement on e-petitions: Written evidence, to be published (HC 243)
(Clerk of the House).
Reports from Select Committees made on Tuesday 19 April
27Backbench Business Committee
Transcript of representations made on Tuesday 19 April, to be published (Ian Mearns).
28Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
(1) Energy pricing and the future of the energy market: Oral and written evidence, to be published (HC 1130);
(2) Correspondence from the Chief Executive of the Post Office relating to Post Office Annual Reports and Accounts 2020-21: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility relating to the Warm Home Discount and Energy Company Obligation schemes: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change relating to the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation relating to the Vaccine Manufacturing and Information Centre: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence relating to an EU directive on corporate sustainability due diligence: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) Correspondence with the Secretary of State: Written evidence, to be published;
(8) Covid Loan Fraud: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1190)
(Darren Jones).
(1) US, UK and NATO: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 608);
(2) Correspondence with the Minister for Defence Procurement relating to the Ajax Follow-on Review: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to Ministry of Defence Police in Northern Ireland: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury: Written evidence, to be published
(Tobias Ellwood).
(1) The Wagner Group and beyond: Proxy private military companies: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 1248);
(2) Correspondence from the Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean on the publication of the provisional Statistics on International Development 2021: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Permanent Under-Secretary on the FCDO’s supplementary estimate and updating the estimates structure: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the FCDO’s response: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1034);
(6) The situation in Ukraine and the UK’s response: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1089)
(Tom Tugendhat).
31International Development Committee
Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to disbursement of humanitarian aid to Ukraine: Written evidence, to be published (Sarah Champion).
32Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee
(1) The regulation of social housing: Oral evidence, to be published (HC 874);
(2) Correspondence from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman relating to the Ombudsman’s Triennial Review: Written evidence, to be published;
(3) Correspondence from the Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution relating to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Written evidence, to be published;
(4) Correspondence from the Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing relating to DLUHC’S supported housing pilot: Written evidence, to be published;
(5) Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to the Council Tax Rebate: Written evidence, to be published;
(6) Correspondence to the Secretary of State relating to building safety: Written evidence, to be published;
(7) DLUHC Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21: Written evidence, to be published (HC 939);
(8) Exempt accommodation: Written evidence, to be published (HC 959);
(9) Support for Ukrainian refugees: Written evidence, to be published (HC 1223)
(Mr Clive Betts).
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker
Westminster Hall
The sitting began at 11.30 am (Order, 28 March)
Business appointed by the Chairman of Ways and Means (Standing Order No. 10(6))
Resolved, That this House has considered the Computer Misuse Act 1990.—(Dr Jamie Wallis.)
The sitting was suspended between 12.43 pm and 1.00 pm.
2Business to business selling and encouraging jobs and growth
Resolved, That this House has considered business to business selling and encouraging jobs and growth.—(Mark Pawsey.)
The sitting was suspended between 1.29 pm and 4.30 pm (Standing Order No. 10(1)(b)).
3Royal Mail services and the COVID-19 pandemic
Resolved, That this House has considered Royal Mail services and the COVID-19 pandemic.—(Helen Hayes.)
The sitting was suspended between 5.26 pm and 6.00 pm.
Resolved, That this House has considered the COVID-19 public inquiry.—(Marsha de Cordova.)
Sitting adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 10(14)).
Adjourned at 6.28 pm until tomorrow.
Eleanor Laing
Chairman of Ways and Means
Papers Laid
Papers presented and delivered to the Votes and Proceedings Office on the undermentioned dates during the adjournment under Standing Orders No. 158 and No. 159:
Papers subject to Affirmative Resolution
Thursday 14 April 2022
Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 452), dated 13 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum and an Impact Assessment (by Command) (Vicky Ford)
Papers subject to Negative Resolution
Monday 4 April 2022
Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 420), dated 4 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary George Eustice)
Tuesday 5 April 2022
Social Security Benefits (Claims and Payments) (Modification) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 428), dated 4 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Rutley)
High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) (Qualifying Authorities) Regulations 2021 (SI, 2021, No. 151), dated 11 February 2021 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Secretary Grant Shapps)
Monday 11 April 2022
Council Tax (Discount Disregards and Exempt Dwellings) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 439), dated 7 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (Neil O'Brien)
Tuesday 12 April 2022
Social Security and Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 449), dated 11 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Rutley)
Wednesday 13 April 2022
Universal Credit (Local Welfare Provision Disregard) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 448), dated 12 April 2022 (by Act), with an Explanatory Memorandum (by Command) (David Rutley)
Other Papers
Monday 4 April 2022
Defence and Security Industrial Strategy: reform of the Single Source Contract Regulations (by Command) (CP 647) (Secretary Ben Wallace)
Tuesday 5 April 2022
9Statutory 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: High-Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) (Qualifying Authorities) Regulations (SI, 2021, No. 151) (by Standing Order) (The Speaker)
Thursday 7 April 2022
Treasury Minutes on the Thirty-Second to the Thirty-Fifth Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2021–22 (by Command) (CP 649) (Helen Whately)
Impact Assessment for the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/1450) (21 November 2021) (by Command) (Secretary Grant Shapps)
Friday 8 April 2022
Explanatory Memorandum to the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 154) (by Command) (Mims Davies)
Wednesday 13 April 2022
Trade and Agriculture Commission: Advice to the Secretary of State for International Trade on the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (by Command) (CP 663) (Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan)
Withdrawn papers
Friday 8 April 2022
Explanatory Memorandum to the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI, 2022, No. 154) (laid 21 February 2022)
Papers presented or laid upon the Table on Tuesday 19 April 2022
Other papers
(1) Recommendations for the Prudential Regulation Committee: April 2022 (by Act) (The Chancellor of the Exchequer)
(2) Recommendations for the Financial Policy Committee: April 2022 (by Act) (The Chancellor of the Exchequer)
16Financial Services and Markets
Recommendations for the Financial Conduct Authority: April 2022 (by Act) (The Chancellor of the Exchequer)
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on Cross-government: Managing cross-border travel during the COVID-19 pandemic (by Act), to be printed (HC 1148) (Clerk of the House)
SPEAKER'S CERTIFICATES
Voting by proxy
(1) New proxy voting arrangement
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), that Sarah Owen is eligible to have a proxy vote cast on her behalf, starting from 20 April. The nominated proxy is Chris Elmore.
(2) Variation of proxy voting arrangement
The Speaker has certified, under the terms of Standing Order No. 39A (Voting by proxy), that Liz Kendall has given notice that she wishes to vary her proxy vote arrangement. Her nominated proxy will be Chris Elmore with effect from 19 April.