HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday 26th January 2005
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Southwell.
1. Lord Aberdare—The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House that Lord Aberdare, a member of the House, had died on 23rd January 2005.
Judicial Business
2. Regina v. Immigration Officer at Prague Airport and another (Respondents) ex parte European Roma Rights Centre and another (FC) and another and others (FC) (Appellants)—Further to the Judgment of the House of 9th December 2004 (7th Report from the Appellate Committee, [2004] UKHL 55), it was ordered that the respondents do pay to the appellants 50 per cent of the appellants’ costs in this House and below; and it was further ordered that the amount of the appellants’ costs in this House be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties, and that the amount of the appellants’ costs in the Court of Appeal and below if not agreed between the parties be determined by a Costs Judge.
3. Scribes West Limited (Petitioners) v. Anstalt and others (Respondents)—The petition of Scribes West Limited praying for leave to appeal was presented and referred to an Appeal Committee (lodged 20th January).
4. Appeal Committee—The 19th Report from the Appeal Committee was agreed to and the following Order was made—
Regina v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Respondent) ex parte Reynolds (FC) (Appellant)—That the petition of the Child Poverty Action Group that they might be heard or otherwise intervene in the said appeal be allowed to the extent that they may lodge written submissions only.
5. Appeal Committee—The 20th Report from the Appeal Committee was agreed to and the following Orders were made—
Vakante (Petitioner) v. Addey and Stanhope School and others (Respondents)—That leave to appeal be refused; that the respondents be at liberty to apply for their costs in accordance with direction 5.1(d); and, if the application is granted, that the amount thereof be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties.
Powerhouse Retail Limited and others (Respondents) v. Burroughs and others (Petitioners)—That leave to appeal be given; and that the petition of appeal be lodged by 9th February next.
Smith (Petitioner) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and another (Respondents)—That leave to appeal be given; and that the petition of appeal be lodged by 9th February next.
N (Kenya) (FC) (Petitioner) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent)—That leave to appeal be refused; that the costs of the petitioner be taxed in accordance with the Access to Justice Act 1999; and that the respondent be at liberty to apply for his costs in accordance with direction 5.1(c); and, if the application is granted, that the amount thereof be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties.
Papers
6. 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 Minutes on the Forty-fourth to Forty-ninth Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts 2003-04; (6441)
2. Treaty Series—Third Supplementary List of Ratifications, Accessions, Withdrawals, Etc., for 2004. (6454)
7. Affirmative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House for approval by resolution and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Draft Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2005, laid under the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997, together with an Explanatory Memorandum;
2. Draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2005, laid under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979, together with an Explanatory Memorandum;
3. Draft Gangmasters (Licensing Authority) Regulations 2005, laid under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004, together with an Explanatory Memorandum;
4. Draft Data Protection (Subject Access Modification) (Social Work) (Amendment) Order 2005, laid under the Data Protection Act 1998, together with an Explanatory Memorandum;
5. Draft Drainage (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, laid under the Northern Ireland Act 2000, together with and Explanatory Memorandum.
8. Negative Instrument—The following instrument was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Education (Student Support) Regulations 2005, laid under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. (52)
9. Paper not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following paper was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Report for 2003-04 of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, laid under the Prisons Act 1952.
Public Business
10. Business of the House—It was moved by the Lord Grocott, on behalf of the Lord President (Baroness Amos), that the debate on the motion in the name of the Baroness Whitaker set down for today shall be limited to 3 hours and that in the name of the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath to 3½ hours; the motion was agreed to.
11. Poverty in developing countries (3-hour debate)—It was moved by the Baroness Whitaker that there be laid before the House papers relating to the Government’s policies to reduce poverty in developing countries; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
12. House of Lords reform (3½-hour debate)—It was moved by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath that there be laid before the House papers relating to the report of the Labour Peers’ Working Group on reform of the powers, procedures and conventions of the House of Lords; after debate, the motion was (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
The House was adjourned at twenty minutes past ten o’clock
till tomorrow, a quarter before ten o’clock for judicial business,
eleven o’clock for public business.
PAUL HAYTER
Clerk of the Parliaments | 
