No. 119 873 House of Commons Wednesday 27 February 2013 Votes and Proceedings The House met at 11.30 am. PRAYERS. 1 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for Wales (2) the Prime Minister 2 Local Authority Devolution and Powers: Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23) Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Government to publish a list of the powers of local councils and a code of conduct defining the degree of autonomy attached to those powers and areas where a council may act autonomously; to create a mechanism to identify and adjudicate on breaches of the code by either central or local government; and for connected purposes; That John Pugh, Mr Graham Allen, Sir Alan Beith, Mr Clive Betts, Paul Burstow, Rosie Cooper, Martin Horwood, Stephen Lloyd, Dan Rogerson, John Stevenson and Mr David Ward present the Bill. John Pugh accordingly presented the Bill. Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 26 April, and to be printed (Bill 141). 3 Opposition Day: Leader of the second largest opposition party (18th allotted day (Standing Order No. 14)) Housing benefit and the under-occupancy penalty Motion made and Question proposed, That this House deplores and opposes the Government’s introduction of the housing benefit under-occupancy penalty; believes it to be unjust and unworkable; notes growing public anger at its introduction; believes that the Government is showing a reckless lack of care and attention to the consequences of its introduction for low-income households affected by disability; further believes that it will adversely affect, amongst others, families of service personnel, foster families and those struggling with the effects of family breakdown; notes that some parts of the UK will be disproportionately hit because of the mismatch between the available social housing stock and the needs of tenants; further notes that according to the Department for Work and Pensions’ Equality Impact Assessment, 63 per cent of the 660,000 claimants affected by the under- occupancy penalty or their partners are disabled; believes that the measure unfairly penalises tenants in rural and inner-city areas; further believes the under-occupancy penalty will fail to meet its stated objectives; and calls on the Government to abandon this policy immediately.— (Dr Eilidh Whiteford.) Pete Wishart claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36). Question put, That the Question be now put. Question agreed to. Question accordingly put. 874 Votes and Proceedings: 27 February 2013 No. 119 The House divided. Division No. 167. Ayes: 224 (Tellers: Pete Wishart, Jonathan Edwards). Noes: 265 (Tellers: Mr Robert Syms, Mark Hunter). Question accordingly negatived. 4 Deferred divisions 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 Greg Clark relating to Capital Gains Tax.—(Nicky Morgan.) 5 Statutory Instruments: Motion for Approval Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Building Societies (Core Capital Deferred Shares) Regulations 2013, which were laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.—(Nicky Morgan.) Question agreed to. 6 Financial Services and Markets Resolved, That the draft Bank of England Act 1998 (Macro-prudential Measures) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 24 January, be approved.—(Greg Clark.) 7 Statutory Instruments: Motions for Approval (1) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft National Employment Savings Trust (Amendment) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 15 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (2) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft East Hertfordshire and Stevenage (Boundary Change) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 22 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Gateshead and Northumberland (Boundary Change) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 22 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (4) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (5) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Financial Services Act 2012 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (6) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Financial Services Act 2012 (Misleading Statements and Impressions) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. (7) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), That the draft Uncertificated Securities (Amendment) Regulations 2013, which were laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.—(Greg Hands.) No. 119 Votes and Proceedings: 27 February 2013 875 Question agreed to. 8 Public Petitions A Public Petition from residents of Coventry and the United Kingdom relating to Human Rights in India was presented and read by Mr Jim Cunningham. 9 Adjournment Subject: Country of origin marking (manufactured goods) (Tristram Hunt). Motion made and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Greg Hands.) House adjourned without Question put (Standing Order No. 9(7)). Adjourned at 8.43 pm until tomorrow. _________________ Other proceedings Lords Messages 10 Public Service Pensions Bill The Lords agree to the Public Service Pensions Bill with Amendments to which they desire the agreement of the Commons. 11 Partnerships (Prosecution) (Scotland) Bill [Lords] The Lords have passed a Bill to make provision about the prosecution in Scotland of partnerships, partners and others following dissolution or changes in membership, to which they desire the agreement of the Commons. First Reading and Printing of Lords Bills 12 Partnerships (Prosecution) (Scotland) Bill [Lords] Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 143) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 143–EN). Bill stood referred to a second reading committee (Standing Order No. 59). Printing of Lords Amendments 13 Public Service Pensions Bill Lords Amendments to the Public Service Pensions Bill to be considered tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 142) with Explanatory Notes (Bill 142–EN). Changes to Notices Given 14 Landlord Accreditation Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. 15 Micro Businesses and Energy Contract Roll-over Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. 876 Votes and Proceedings: 27 February 2013 No. 119 16 Land Value Tax Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. 17 United Kingdom Membership of the European Union (Referendum) Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. 18 Social Care (Local Sufficiency) and Identification of Carers Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. 19 Science, Technology and Engineering (Careers Information in Schools) Bill Order for Second Reading on Friday 1 March, read and discharged. Bill to be read a second time on Friday 26 April. General Committees: Reports 20 Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee Jim Sheridan (Chair) reported the draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Threshold Conditions) Order 2013, the draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (PRA-regulated Activities) Order 2013, the draft Financial Services Act 2012 (Mutual Societies) Order 2013 and the draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) Order 2013. 21 Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee Mr Christopher Chope (Chair) reported the draft Legal Deposit Libraries (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013. 22 Eighth Delegated Legislation Committee Mr Edward Leigh (Chair) reported the Motion in the name of Mr Andrew Lansley relating to the Electoral Commission. 23 European Committee B to consider European Union Documents No. 15938/11, a draft Regulation on markets in financial instruments and amending Regulation [EMIR] on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories, and No. 15939/11 and Addenda 1 and 2, a draft Directive on markets in financial instruments repealing Directive 2004/39/EC Dr William McCrea (Chair) reported the following Resolution: That the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 15938/11, a draft Regulation on markets in financial instruments and amending Regulation [EMIR] on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories, and No. 15939/11 and Addenda 1 and 2, a draft Directive on markets in financial instruments repealing Directive 2004/39/EC; notes the importance to the UK economy of stable and well functioning financial markets; and welcomes efforts to improve transparency, while supporting competition and user choice, as part of the global post-crisis regulatory reform