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

1    First Delegated Legislation Committee,—David Taylor reported from the First Delegated Legislation Committee the Value Added Tax (Finance) (No. 2) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 2547).

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

2    Second Delegated Legislation Committee,—Mr Greg Pope reported from the Second Delegated Legislation Committee the Enterprise Act 2002 (Specification of Additional Section 58 Consideration) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 2645).

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

3    European Committee A,—Mr Christopher Chope reported from European Committee A, nominated in respect of European Union Documents, relating to CAP "Health Check" and Community action on rising food prices, the following Resolution:

That the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 9656/08 and Addenda 1 and 2—Draft Council Regulation establishing common rules for direct support schemes for farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, and Draft Council Regulation on modifications to the Common Agricultural Policy by amending 320/2006, 1234/2007, 3/2008 and an unnumbered document relating to the Common Market Organisation for wine, and Draft Council Regulation 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and Draft Council Decision amending Decision 2006/144/EC in the Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) and European Union Document No. 9923/08, Commission Communication—Tackling the challenge of rising food prices—Directions for EU action; supports the Government's negotiating aims that the "Health Check" should cut further the trade and market 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, and considers that the separately proposed measures to tackle rising food prices are adequate and proportionate to the scale of the problem.

Resolution to lie upon the Table.

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

4    Political Parties and Elections Bill,—The Order of the day being read, for the Second Reading of the Political Parties and Elections Bill;

And a Motion being made, and the Question being proposed, That the Bill be now read a second time;

An Amendment was proposed to the Question, to leave out from the word 'That' to the end of the Question and add the words 'this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Political Parties and Elections Bill, because it imposes arbitrary and partisan new local spending rules at the end of a Parliament, which are designed to give an unfair advantage to Labour hon. Members in marginal seats in the forthcoming general election, proposes the commencement of vague trigger rules at Royal Assent, before Electoral Commission guidance has been produced, in contravention of the Government Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation, contains new powers of entry into people's homes which risk undermining public confidence in giving to political parties, imposes disproportionate additional costs on local constituency associations and voluntary political parties, fails to tackle growing concern over electoral fraud, and lacks a comprehensive package of proposals to restore trust in politics, which would include the introduction of individual voter registration and an across-the-board cap on donations covering individuals, business and the trade unions', instead thereof.—(Mr Francis Maude.)

And the Question being put, That the Amendment be made;

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr John Baron, Mr Philip Dunne: 196.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Frank Roy, Ms Dawn Butler: 290.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Frank Roy, Ms Dawn Butler: 287.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr John Baron, Mr Philip Dunne: 197.

5    Political Parties and Elections Bill (Programme),—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 83A (Programme motions), That the following provisions shall apply to the Political Parties and Elections Bill:

Committal

1. The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Committee

2. Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 13th November 2008.

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 (including any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the Lords) may be programmed—(Claire Ward):—It was agreed to.

6    Political Parties and Elections Bill (Carry-over),—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 80A (Carry-over of bills), That if, at the conclusion of this Session of Parliament, proceedings on the Political Parties and Elections Bill have not been completed, they shall be resumed in the next Session—(Claire Ward);

And the Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred till Wednesday 22nd October, pursuant to Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions).

7    Political Parties and Elections Bill [Money],—Her Majesty's Recommendation having been signified to the proposed Motion relating to Political Parties and Elections Bill [Money];

A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 52 (Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions in connection with bills), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Political Parties and Elections Bill, it is expedient to authorise—

(1) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided;

(2) the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums to be charged on and paid out of the Fund under any other Act; and

(3) the payment into the Consolidated Fund of any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable into that Fund under any other Act—(Claire Ward):—It was agreed to.

8    Business of the House,—Ordered, That, at the sitting on Thursday 23rd October, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of Mr Edward Leigh relating to Public Accounts not later than three hours after their commencement; proceedings may continue after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.—(Claire Ward.)

9    Terms and Conditions of Employment,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Delegated Legislation Committees), That the draft Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2008, which were laid before this House on 2nd July, be approved—(Claire Ward):—It was agreed to.

10    Mental Health,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Delegated Legislation Committees), That the draft Mental Health Act 2007 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2008, which was laid before this House on 8th July, be approved—(Claire Ward):—It was agreed to.

11    Criminal Law,—A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Delegated Legislation Committees), That the draft Remand on Bail (Disapplication of Credit Period) Rules 2008, which were laid before this House on 7th July, be approved—(Claire Ward):—It was agreed to.

12    Public Petition,—A Public Petition from people from the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency relating to planning and development (Dorset) was presented and read.

13    Adjournment.

Subject: Floods in Northumberland (Sir Alan Beith).

Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.—(Mr Frank Roy.)

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

[Adjourned at 11 p.m.

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:

Draft Legislative Reform Order:

1    Regulatory Reform,—Draft Legislative Reform (Verification of Weighing and Measuring Equipment) Order 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Document recommending the affirmative resolution procedure [Secretary John Denham].

Paper subject to Affirmative Resolution:

2    Banks and Banking,—Landsbanki Freezing (Amendment) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 2766), dated 20th October 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum and Impact Assessment [by Command] [Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer].

Paper subject to Negative Resolution:

3    Plant Health,—Plant Health (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2008 (S.I., No. 2765), dated 19th October 2008 [by Act], with an Explanatory Memorandum [by Command] [Secretary Hilary Benn].

Other Papers:

4    Culture, Media and Sport,—(1) Government Response to the Eighth Report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Session 2007-08, on Tourism; and

(2) Government Response to the Ninth Report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Session 2007-08, on the Draft Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill and the Eleventh Report from the Committee, Session 2007-08, on the Draft Heritage Protection Bill

[by Command] [Cm. 7487 and 7472] [Secretary Andy Burnham].

APPENDIX II

General Committees

1    Enterprise Act 2002 (Specification of Additional Section 58 Consideration) Order 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 2645),—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Graham Allen, John Austin and Mrs Anne McGuire from the Second Delegated Legislation Committee (nominated in respect of the Order) and nominated in substitution Mr David Crausby, Jim Dobbin and Andrew Miller.

    European Committees

2    European Union Documents No. 9656/08 and Addenda 1 and 2 and No. 9923/08, relating to CAP "Health Check" and Community action on rising food prices,—The Committee of Selection has discharged Mr Richard Benyon and Joan Ryan from European Committee A (nominated in respect of the Documents) and nominated in substitution Hilary Armstrongand Alistair Burt.

APPENDIX III

Reports from Select Committees

1    Children, Schools and Families,—National Curriculum: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Children, Schools and Families Committee; to be printed [No. 651-iv] [Mr Barry Sheerman].

2    Public Accounts,—(1) Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office: Fifty-first Report from the Committee of Public Accounts; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 601];

(2) Protecting consumers? Removing price controls: Fifty-second Report from the Committee; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 571];

(3) Reducing passenger rail delays by better management of incidents: Fifty-third Report from the Committee; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 655];

(4) Compensating victims of violent crime: Fifty-fourth Report from the Committee; to be printed with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 251];

(5) BBC Procurement: The BBC Trust's response to the 19th Report from the Committee of Public Accounts: Third Special Report from the Committee; to be printed [No. 1118]; and

(6) Widening participation in higher education: Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed [No. 1119-i]

[Mr Edward Leigh].