HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Die Mercurii 9° Aprilis 2003
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Portsmouth.
Judicial Business
1. Sabaf SpA (a company incorporated under the laws of Italy) (Respondents) v. MFI Furniture Centres Limited and others (Appellants)—
2. Sabaf SpA (a company incorporated under the laws of Italy) (Appellants) v. MFI Furniture Centres Limited and others (Respondents)—
(Conjoined Appeals)—
The appeals were set down for hearing and referred to an Appellate Committee.
Papers
3. Command Papers—The following papers were presented to the House by command of Her Majesty and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Finance—Treasury Minute on the Fourth Report from the Committee of Public Accounts; (5789)
2. Pollution—Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants, together with an Explanatory Memorandum; (5794)
3. Budget—Budget 2003: Building a Britain of economic strength and social justice; (—)
(i) Partnership Pension Account Death Benefits Scheme; (—)
(ii) Partnership Pension Account Ill Health Benefits Scheme, together with an Explanatory Memorandum; (—)
(iii) Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2003, together with an Explanatory Memorandum; (—)
(iv) Civil Service Supplementary (Earnings Cap) Pension Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2003, together with an Explanatory Memorandum; (—)
(i) Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2003, together with an Explanatory Memorandum; (—)
(ii) Civil Service Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Scheme 2003, together with an Explanatory Memorandum. (—)
4. Negative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. District of Adur (Scheme for Elections of Specified Council) Order 2003, laid under the Local Government Act 2000; (984)
2. Education (Pupil Information) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003, laid under the Education Act 1996; (1006)
3. Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations 2003, laid under the European Communities Act 1972; (1026)
4. Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2003, laid under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; (1059)
5. Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2003, laid under the Protection of Children Act 1999; (1060)
6. Superannuation (Admission to Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Act 1972) Order 2003, laid under the Superannuation Act 1972; (1073)
7. Statute made by the University of Oxford on 3rd December 2002 amending Statute VI, laid under the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923. (—)
5. Paper not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following paper was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland on the Use of Operating Theatres in the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services, laid under the Northern Ireland Act 2000.
Public Business
6. Terrorism and religion (Balloted debate)—It was moved by the Lord Bishop of Oxford that there be laid before the House papers relating to the religious element in global terrorism and appropriate interfaith responses; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
7. Atlantic salmon (Balloted debate)—It was moved by the Lord Forsyth of Drumlean that there be laid before the House papers relating to the plight of Atlantic salmon; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
8. Code of Practice on Time Off for Trade Union Duties and Activities 2003—It was moved by the Lord Davies of Oldham that the draft Code of Practice laid before the House on 10th February be approved; after debate, the motion was agreed to.
9. Coal mining—The Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to develop clean coal technology and to maintain the mining engineering industry within the United Kingdom; after debate, the question was answered by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey.
The House was adjourned at sixteen minutes before ten o’clock
till tomorrow, ten o’clock for judicial business,
eleven o’clock for public business.
MICHAEL DAVIES
Cler: Parliamentor: | 
