The House met at half-past Two o'clock.

1    Selection,—Ordered, That Mr Simon Burns be discharged from the Committee of Selection and Alistair Burt be added to the Committee.—(Mr Patrick McLoughlin.)

2    First Delegated Legislation Committee,—Mrs Janet Dean reported from the First Delegated Legislation Committee the draft Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.

3    Second Delegated Legislation Committee,—David Taylor reported from the Second Delegated Legislation Committee the draft Charities Act 2006 (Charitable Companies Audit and Group Accounts Provisions) Order 2008.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.

4    European Committee,—Mr Joe Benton reported from a European Committee the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 15351/07, Commission Communication, Preparing for the 'Health Check' of the CAP reform; and supports the Government's aim that the health check should cut further the trade-distorting nature of the CAP, reduce regulatory burdens, give farmers greater control over their business decisions and direct more public spending towards delivery of targeted public benefits.

Resolution to lie upon the Table.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.

5    Message from the Lords,—A Message was brought from the Lords as follows:

Disabled Persons (Independent Living) Bill [Lords],—The Lords have passed a Bill to impose duties upon certain persons and bodies in respect of disabled persons; to confer certain rights upon disabled persons for independent living; to amend the Mental Health Act 1983; to amend the Care Standards Act 2000; and for connected purposes; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House.

6    Sound Recordings (Copyright Term Extension) Bill,—The Order for reading the Sound Recordings (Copyright Term Extension) Bill a second time on Friday 7th March was read and discharged.

Bill withdrawn.

7    Business of the House (Lisbon Treaty) (No. 5),—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Order [28th January], That the Order of 28th January be further amended as follows: in the Table, in the entry for allotted day 6, in the third column:

(a) for '41/2 hours' substitute '4 hours', and

(b) for '11/2 hours' substitute '2 hours'—(Mr Alan Campbell):—It was agreed to.

8    Treaty of Lisbon (No. 6) (6th allotted day),—A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House approves the Government's policy towards the Treaty of Lisbon in respect of provisions concerning international development—(Mr Secretary Alexander);

An Amendment was proposed to the Question, in line 2, to leave out from the word 'House' to the end of the Question and add the words 'disapproves of the Government's policy towards the Treaty of Lisbon in respect of international development because the Treaty does nothing to improve the efficiency of European Union aid, increases the influence of the EU's foreign policy over its humanitarian aid and development assistance, decreases the freedom of member states to react to international crises, diverts resources to a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps, downgrades the least developed countries, is ambiguous about competence on international development, and overall is a step backwards in the provision of aid to the developing world', instead thereof.—(Mr Andrew Mitchell.)

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Richard Benyon, Mr John Baron: 153.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Michael Foster, Mr Dave Watts: 341.

It being more than four hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion relating to the Treaty of Lisbon (No. 6), the Deputy Speaker put the Main Question forthwith, pursuant to Orders [28th January and this day].

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Michael Foster, Mr Dave Watts: 342.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Richard Benyon, Mr John Baron: 154.

9    European Union (Amendment) Bill [6th allotted day],—The House, according to Order, again resolved itself into a Committee on the European Union (Amendment) Bill.

(In the Committee)

Clause No. 2 (Addition to list of Treaties).

Another Amendment (No. 245) proposed, in page 1, line 12, after 'excluding', insert—

'(i) any provision that increases the influence of the Common Foreign and Security Policy on international aid; and

(ii) '.—(Mr Mark Francois.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made:—Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

And it being two hours after the commencement of proceedings in the Committee, the Chairman left the Chair to report progress and ask leave to sit again, pursuant to Orders [28th January and this day].

________________

The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair; and Mr Dave Watts reported, That the Committee had made progress in the Bill, and moved, That the Committee may have leave to sit again.

Committee again to-morrow.

10    Food,—Ordered, That the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007, dated 13th December 2007, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee.—(Mr Dave Watts.)

11    Adjournment.

Subject: Visas for children from Belarus (Willie Rennie).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Dave Watts.)

And accordingly, the House, having continued to sit till half-past Ten o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow.

Michael J. Martin

Speaker

Mr Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Two o'clock.

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

Papers subject to Negative Resolution:

1    Food,—Healthy Start Scheme and Welfare Food (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 408), dated 18th February 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Alan Johnson].

2    Highways,—Public Rights of Way (Combined Orders) (England) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 442), dated 19th February 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Hilary Benn].

3    Social Security,—Social Security (Claims and Payments) Amendment Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 441), dated 21st February 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary James Purnell].

4    Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,—Statute, dated 22nd August 2007, made by the Governing Body of Magdalen College in the University of Oxford, revising the existing Statutes of the College [by Act] [Clerk of the House].

Other Papers:

5    Government Resources and Accounts,—Treasury Minute, dated 25th February 2008, directing the application of certain amounts as appropriations in aid of the Estimates for the year ending 31st March 2008 [by Act] [Jane Kennedy].

6    House of Commons Members Estimate,—First Special Report from the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee on the Review of Members' Allowances; to be printed [No. 386] [The Speaker].

7    Human Fertilisation and Embryology,—Report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for 2006-07 [by Act] [Secretary Alan Johnson].

8    Income Tax,—Explanatory Memorandum to the Community Investment Tax Relief (Accreditation of Community Development Finance Institutions) (Amendment) Regulations (S.I. 2003, No. 383) [by Command] [Angela Eagle].

9    National Audit,—Reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General on—

(1) NHS Pay Modernisation: New Contracts for General Practice Services in England; and

(2) Preparations for Digital Switchover

[by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 307 and 306] [Clerk of the House].

10    Supply Estimates, 2007-08,—Revised Spring Supplementary Estimate for Central Government [by Command] [Jane Kennedy].

Papers withdrawn:

11    Income Tax,—Explanatory Memorandum to the Community Investment Tax Relief (Accreditation of Community Development Finance Institutions) (Amendment) Regulations (S.I. 2003, No. 383) [laid 19th February].

APPENDIX II

General Committees

1    Draft Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Clive Betts from the First Delegated Legislation Committee (nominated in respect of the draft Regulations) and nominated in substitution Mr Jamie Reed.

2    Draft Charities Act 2006 (Charitable Companies Audit and Group Accounts Provisions) Order 2008,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Richard Caborn, Paul Farrelly, Fiona Mactaggart, Mr Michael Meacher and Mark Pritchard from the Second Delegated Legislation Committee (nominated in respect of the draft Order) and nominated in substitution Mr David S. Borrow, Mr David Kidney, Ms Angela C. Smith, Anne Snelgrove and Mr Charles Walker.

APPENDIX III

Reports from Select Committees

1    Children, Schools and Families,—Diversity of school provision: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Children, Schools and Families Committee; to be printed [No. 311-ii] [Mr Barry Sheerman].

2    Communities and Local Government,—(1) Community Cohesion and Migration:

(i) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Communities and Local Government Committee; to be printed [No. 369-i]; and

(ii) Memoranda laid before the Committee; to be published;

(2) Department for Communities and Local Government Winter Supplementary Estimate 2007: Memorandum laid before the Committee; to be published; and

(4) Government Equalities Office New Estimate 2007: Memorandum laid before the Committee; to be published

[Dr Phyllis Starkey].

3    Public Accounts,—Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Taking forward decommissioning: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts; to be printed [No. 370-i] [Mr Edward Leigh].