HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday 3rd March 2004
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Rochester.
Papers
1. Command Paper—The following paper was presented to the House by command of Her Majesty and ordered to lie on the Table:
Indemnity—Indemnity under the Government Indemnity Scheme for an event sponsored by the Museums, Archives and Libraries Council. (—)
2. Affirmative Instrument—The following instrument was laid before the House for approval by resolution and ordered to lie on the Table:
Draft Cash Ratio Deposits (Value Bands and Ratios) Order 2004, laid under the Bank of England Act 1998, together with an Explanatory Memorandum.
3. Negative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Local Authorities (Capital Finance) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2004, laid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989; (459)
2. Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application to Environmentally Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2004, laid under the European Communities Act 1972; (463)
3. (i) North West Surrey Mental Health National Health Service Partnership Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2004— (465)
(ii) West Sussex Health and Social Care National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2004— (466)
(iii) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2004— (467)
(iv) West Kent National Health Service and Social Care Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2004— (468)
(v) Kingston Primary Care Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 2004— (471)
laid under the National Health Service Act 1977;
4. Local Authorities (Goods and Services) (Public Bodies) (England) Order 2004, laid under the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970; (485)
5. Pensions Increase (Valuation Tribunal Service) Regulations 2004, laid under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971. (558)
4. Paper not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following paper was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Accounts for the five months ended 31st August 2003 of the North Somerset (Weston-Super-Mare) Education Action Zone, laid under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Private Business
5. London Local Authorities Bill [HL]—It was moved by the Chairman of Committees that the Commons message of 25th February be now considered; and that, notwithstanding anything in the Private Business Standing Orders or practice of the House, the promoters of the bill, which originated in this House in session 2001-02 and which has passed all its stages in this House but not in the Commons, may proceed with the bill in the present session;
That the petition for the bill be deemed to have been deposited;
That all Standing Orders applicable be deemed to have been complied with;
That the bill be deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments not later than noon on Thursday 4th March with a declaration annexed, signed by the agent, stating that it is the same in every respect as the bill passed by this House;
That the proceedings on the bill in the present session be pro forma in regard to every stage through which the bill had passed in the last session and that no new fees be charged;
the motion was agreed to and it was ordered that a message be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.
6. University of Manchester Bill [HL]—The petition against the bill from Kenneth Rohde and Ian David Bell (No.1) was withdrawn. The order made on 11th February last was discharged and the bill was committed to an Unopposed Bill Committee.
Public Business
7. Children Bill [HL]—A bill to make provision for the establishment of a Children’s Commissioner; to make provision about services provided to and for children and young people by local authorities and other persons; to make provision in relation to Wales about advisory and support services relating to family proceedings; to make provision about private fostering, child minding and day care, adoption review panels, the making of grants as respects children and families and about child safety orders was presented by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland, read a first time and ordered to be printed. (HL Bill 35)
8. Children Bill [HL]—It was ordered that the Explanatory Notes relating to the bill be printed. (HL Bill 35-EN)
9. Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Bill—A bill to make provision about asylum and immigration was brought from the Commons, read a first time and ordered to be printed. (HL Bill 36)
10. Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Bill—It was ordered that the Explanatory Notes relating to the bill be printed. (HL Bill 36-EN)
11. Business of the House—It was moved by the Lord President (Baroness Amos) that the debate on the motion in the name of the Baroness Massey of Darwen set down for today shall be limited to 3 hours and that in the name of the Lord Haskel to 2 hours; the motion was agreed to.
12. Committee of Selection—It was moved by the Chairman of Committees that the Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville be appointed a member of the Select Committee in place of the Lord Trefgarne; the motion was agreed to.
13. Special educational needs—It was moved by the Baroness Massey of Darwen that there be laid before the House papers relating to the implications of the Department for Education and Skills’ document Removing Barriers to Achievement: the Government’s Strategy for Special Educational Needs; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
14. British industry and the global economy—It was moved by the Lord Haskel that there be laid before the House papers relating to the role of innovation in enabling British industry to compete in the global economy, and to the role that Government can play in creating the best possible conditions for it; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
15. Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus—The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede asked Her Majesty’s Government how the European Union is developing its policy towards Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus; after debate, the question was answered by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean.
16. Health Protection Agency Bill [HL]—The bill was reported from the Grand Committee with amendments; it was ordered that the bill be printed as amended. (HL Bill 37)
The House was adjourned at seven minutes before ten o’clock
till tomorrow, eleven o’clock.
PAUL HAYTER
Clerk of the Parliaments
APPENDIX
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND COMMITTEE (IN THE MOSES ROOM)
The Committee met at half-past three o’clock.
Health Protection Agency Bill [HL]—The bill was considered in the Grand Committee; amendments were moved and (by leave of the Committee) withdrawn; amendments were agreed to; it was ordered that the bill be reported with amendments.
The Committee was adjourned at two minutes before eight o’clock. | 
