HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Die Mercurii 12° Novembris 2003
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Derby.
Judicial Business
1. Hinchy (Respondent) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Appellant)—The petition of the appellant praying that the time for lodging the statement and appendix and setting down the cause for hearing might be extended to 18th December next (the agents for the respondent consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
2. Beynon and Partners (Respondents) v. Her Majesty’s Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Appellants)—The petition of the appellants praying that the time for lodging the statement and appendix and setting down the cause for hearing might be extended to 4th December next (the agents for the respondents consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
3. In re B (FC) (Appellant) (2002)—The petition of the appellant praying that the time for lodging the statement and appendix and setting down the cause for hearing might be extended to 25th December next (the agents for the respondents consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
4. Her Majesty’s Commissioners of Inland Revenue (Appellants) v. Scottish Provident Institution (Respondents) (Scotland)—The petition of the appellants praying that the time for lodging the statement and appendix and setting down the cause for hearing might be extended to 18th December next (the agents for the respondents consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
Papers
5. Command Papers—The following papers were presented to the House by command of Her Majesty and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Children—Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption; (6010)
2. Finance—Treasury Minute on the Thirty-third, Thirty-seventh and Forty-first Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts. (6016)
6. Negative Instrument—The following instrument was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, laid under the Immigration Act 1971. (—)
7. Paper not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following paper was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Electoral Commission recommendation on the distribution between electoral regions of UK MEPs, laid under the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003.
Private Business
8. Transas Group Bill—The bill was read a third time and passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.
Public Business
9. Fire Services Bill—The bill was returned from the Commons with the amendments agreed to.
10. Courts Bill [HL]—The Commons amendments were considered; an amendment was agreed to with amendments and with a consequential amendment to the bill; the remaining amendments were agreed to; then the bill was returned to the Commons with amendments.
11. Extradition Bill—The bill was read a third time; an amendment was disagreed to (see division list 1); amendments were agreed to; amendments were moved and (by leave of the House) withdrawn; then the bill was passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.
12. Anti-social Behaviour Bill—The Queen’s consent was signified; the bill was read a third time; amendments were agreed to; amendments were moved and (by leave of the House) withdrawn; then the bill was passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.
13. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) (No. 2) Order 2003—It was moved by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal that the draft Order laid before the House on 11th September be approved; then it was moved by the Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, as an amendment thereto, at end to insert “but this House notes that the Order may lead to increased use of cannabis with risks to the health of young people and regrets that the Order is being made before the Government’s proposals concerning Class C drugs have been finalised”; after debate, the amendment was agreed to (see division list 2); then the original motion (as amended) was agreed to (see division list 3).
14. Ragwort Control Bill—The report was received; amendments were moved and (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
The House was adjourned at twenty-four minutes before midnight
till tomorrow, eleven o’clock.
PAUL HAYTER
Clerk of the Parliaments | 
