No. 59 451 House of Commons Wednesday 31 October 2012 Votes and Proceedings The House met at 11.30 am. PRAYERS. 1 Questions to (1) the Secretary of State for International Development (2) the Prime Minister 2 European Union Free Movement Directive 2004 (Disapplication): Motion for leave to bring in a Bill (Standing Order No. 23) Motion made and Question proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to disapply the European Union Free Movement Directive 2004/38/EC; and for connected purposes.—(Mr Stewart Jackson.) Motion opposed (Standing Order No. 23(1)). Question put, and agreed to. Ordered, That Mr Stewart Jackson, Heather Wheeler, Mr Frank Field, Priti Patel, Mr Philip Hollobone, Gordon Henderson, Henry Smith, Mr Andrew Turner, Zac Goldsmith, Caroline Nokes, Kate Hoey and Mr James Clappison present the Bill. Mr Stewart Jackson accordingly presented the Bill. Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 14 December, and to be printed (Bill 86). 3 Local Government Finance Bill (Programme) (No. 3) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Local Government Finance Bill for the purpose of supplementing the Orders of 10 January 2012 in the last session (Local Government Finance Bill (Programme)) and 21 May 2012 (Local Government Finance Bill (Programme) (No. 2)): Consideration of Lords Amendments 1. Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after their commencement at today’s sitting. 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.—(Mark Lancaster.) Question agreed to. 4 Local Government Finance Bill: Consideration of Lords Amendments The Speaker announced that Lords Amendments 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 and 19 to 85 engaged Commons financial privilege. 452 Votes and Proceedings: 31 October 2012 No. 59 Lords Amendments 1 and 2 agreed to, with Commons financial privilege waived. Lords Amendment 3 Amendment (a) proposed.—(Helen Jones.) Question put, That the Amendment be made. The House divided. Division No. 90. Ayes: 245 (Tellers: Tom Blenkinsop, Mr David Hamilton). Noes: 312 (Tellers: Mr Robert Syms, Mark Hunter). Question accordingly negatived. Since it was three hours after the commencement of proceedings, the Speaker put the Questions necessary to bring proceedings on consideration of the Lords Amendments to a conclusion (Programme Order, today). The following Questions were put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83F). (1) That this House agrees with the Lords in their Amendment 3 (Question to agree with the Lords Amendment (Standing Order No. 83F(3))). Question agreed to. Lords Amendment 3 accordingly agreed to. (2) That this House agrees with the Lords in their Amendments 4 to 91 (Single Question to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments (Standing Order No. 83F(6))). Question agreed to. Lords Amendments 4 to 91 accordingly agreed to, with Commons financial privilege waived in respects of Lords Amendments 4, 5, 10 and 19 to 85. Title accordingly amended, as follows: A Bill to make provision about non-domestic rating; to make provision about grants to local authorities; to make provision about council tax; to make provision about the supply of information for purposes relating to rates in Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes. 5 Multiannual Financial Framework Motion made and Question proposed, That this House takes note of European Union Documents No. 16844/11, No. 16845/11, No. 16846/11, No. 16847/11, No. 16848/11, No. 6708/12 and Addenda 1 to 3, No. 9007/12, No. 12356/12, and No. 13620/12, relating to the Commission’s proposal on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), 2014–2020; agrees with the Government that at a time of ongoing economic fragility in Europe and tight constraints on domestic public spending, the Commission’s proposal for substantial spending increases compared with current spend is unacceptable, unrealistic, too large and incompatible with the tough decisions being taken in the UK and in countries across Europe to bring deficits under control and stimulate economic growth; notes that UK contributions to the European Union budget have also risen in recent years due to the 2005 decision to give away parts of the UK rebate; agrees that the next MFF must see significant improvements in the financial management of EU resources by the Commission and by Member States and significant improvements in the value for money of spend; further agrees that the proposed changes to the UK abatement and proposals for new taxes to fund the EU budget are completely unacceptable and an unwelcome distraction from the pressing issues that the EU needs to address; and calls on the Government to seek significant savings to the Commission’s seven year framework, as set out in the Prime Minister’s joint letter with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland of 18 December 2010, which stated that ‘payment appropriations should increase, at most, by no more than inflation over the next financial perspectives’.—(Greg Clark.) At 7.00 pm, the Speaker interrupted the proceedings (Order, 29 October). Amendment (a) moved.—(Mark Reckless.) Question put, That the Amendment be made. No. 59 Votes and Proceedings: 31 October 2012 453 The House divided. Division No. 90. Ayes: 307 (Tellers: Mr Peter Bone, Mr Philip Hollobone). Noes: 294 (Tellers: Karen Bradley, Mark Hunter). Question accordingly agreed to. Main Question, as amended, put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House takes note of European Union Documents No. 16844/11, No. 16845/11, No. 16846/11, No. 16847/11, No. 16848/11, No. 6708/12 and Addenda 1 to 3, No. 9007/12, No. 12356/12, and No. 13620/12, relating to the Commission’s proposal on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), 2014–2020; agrees with the Government that at a time of ongoing economic fragility in Europe and tight constraints on domestic public spending, the Commission’s proposal for substantial spending increases compared with current spend is unacceptable, unrealistic, too large and incompatible with the tough decisions being taken in the UK and in countries across Europe to bring deficits under control; and so calls on the Government to strengthen its stance so that the next MFF is reduced in real terms. 6 Royal Assent The Speaker reported that the Queen had signified Royal Assent to the following Acts under the Royal Assent Act 1967: European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Act 2012 Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Act 2012 Local Government Finance Act 2012 Mental Health (Approval Functions) Act 2012. 7 Electoral Commission (Re-appointment of chairman) Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6) and Order, 16 October), That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that Her Majesty will re-appoint Jennifer Watson to the office of chairman of the Electoral Commission with effect from 1 January 2013 for the period ending on 31 December 2016.—(Greg Hands.) Question agreed to. 8 Adjournment Subject: Review of firearms controls (Grahame M. Morris). 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 7.48 pm until tomorrow. _________________ Other proceedings Lords Messages 9 Mental Health (Approval Functions) Bill The Lords agree to the Mental Health (Approval Functions) Bill without amendment. General Committees: Reports 454 Votes and Proceedings: 31 October 2012 No. 59 10 Mental Health (Discrimination) (No.2) Bill Committee Mr Peter Bone (Chair) reported the Bill without Amendment. Bill, not amended, to be considered on Friday 30 November. 11 Small Charitable Donations Bill Committee John Robertson (Chair) reported: (1) written evidence submitted to the Committee; (2) the Bill with Amendments. Bill, as amended, to be considered tomorrow; and to be printed (Bill 85). 12 Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee Mr Edward Leigh (Chair) reported the draft Official Secrets Act 1989 (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2012. 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). 13 Marine Navigation (No. 2) Bill Committee (1) Chair: Sir Roger Gale (2) Members: Sir Peter Bottomley, Dr Thérèse Coffey, Mr Frank Doran, Jackie Doyle-Price, Bill Esterson, George Eustice, Jim Fitzpatrick, Andrew George, Mrs Mary Glindon, Stephen Hammond, Stephen Metcalfe, Andrew Miller, Austin Mitchell, Sheryll Murray, Dr Matthew Offord and Ian Paisley. 14 Prisons (Property) Bill Committee Chair: Dr William McCrea. 15 Public Service Pensions Bill Committee (1) Chairs: Mr Joe Benton and Annette Brooke (2) Members: Debbie Abrahams, Jonathan Ashworth, Lorely Burt, Jackie Doyle-Price, Graham Evans, Mike Freer, Richard Fuller, Mr Nick Gibb, Sheila Gilmore, Greg Hands, John Healey, Cathy Jamieson, Sajid Javid, Andrea Leadsom, Chris Leslie, Alison McGovern, David Mowat, Ian Paisley and Stephen Williams. 16 First Delegated Legislation Committee (Draft Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Bahrain)