HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Tuesday 25th April 2006
The House met at half-past two o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Sheffield.
Judicial Business
1. London Diocesan Fund and others and others (Respondents) v. Avonridge Property Company Limited (Appellants)—Further to the Order of the House of 1st December 2005 (27th Report, Session 2005-06 [2005] UKHL 70), it was ordered that Amit Mashru, Dilipkumar Raithata, Citicore Investments Ltd, Mohammed Zaman, Marco Risoli and Purshottam Walji do pay or cause to be paid to the appellants their costs incurred in respect of the Part 20 claim in the Willesden County Court, and that Amit Mashru, Dilipkumar Raithata, Citicore Investments Ltd and Purshottam Walji do pay or cause to be paid to the appellants their costs in Her Majesty’s Court of Appeal and their costs in this House; and that the amount of such costs incurred in the courts below be determined by a Costs Judge if not agreed between the parties and the amount of such costs incurred in this House be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties.
2. R (on the application of Gaisiance) (Petitioner) v. Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis and others (Respondents)—The petition of Peter Gaisiance praying for leave to appeal was presented without payment of the fee, such fee having been waived by the Appeal Committee pursuant to Standing Order XIII; the said petition was referred to an Appeal Committee (lodged 21st April).
3. Bermingham and others (Petitioners) v. Government of the United States of America and another (Respondents) and others—The petition of David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby praying for leave to appeal in accordance with the Extradition Act 2003 was presented and referred to an Appeal Committee.
4. Crown Prosecution Service (Respondents) v. Jennings (Appellant)—The appeal was set down for hearing and referred to an Appellate Committee (lodged 12th April).
5. R v. Abdroikof (Appellant) and another (On Appeal from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division))—
6. R v. Abdroikof and another (Appellant) (On Appeal from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division))—
7. R v. Williamson (Appellant) (On Appeal from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division))—
(Conjoined Appeals)—
The appeals were set down for hearing and referred to an Appellate Committee.
8. Melville Dundas Limited (in receivership) and others (Respondents) v. George Wimpey UK Limited and others (Appellants) (Scotland)—The appeal was set down for hearing and referred to an Appellate Committee.
9. Al-Skeini and others (Respondents) v. Secretary of State for Defence (Appellant)—
10. Al-Skeini and others (Appellants) v. Secretary of State for Defence (Respondent)—
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 22nd May (the agents for the respondents consenting thereto) was presented; and it was ordered as prayed.
11. Appeal Committee—The 94th Report from the Appeal Committee was agreed to and the following Orders were made—
NHS Pensions Agency (Petitioners) v. Suggett and another (Respondent)—That leave to appeal be refused; that the respondent be at liberty to apply for his 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.
Director of Public Prosecutions (Petitioner) v. Glendinning (Respondent)—That leave to appeal be refused.
Nagalingam (Petitioner) v. Ney and another (Respondents)—That the petition be dismissed as inadmissible.
Gregory and another (deceased) (Petitioners) v. Turner and another (Respondents)—That leave to appeal be refused.
Papers
12. Negative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. (i) Seed Potatoes (Fees) (England) Regulations 2006— (1160)
(ii) Seed Potatoes (England) Regulations 2006— (1161)
laid under the Plant Varieties and Seed Act 1964;
2. Child Tax Credit (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2006, laid under the Tax Credits Act 2002. (1163)
13. Paper not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following paper was laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
Security and Emergency Measures (Aquavitae (UK) Limited, Severn Trent Water Select Limited and Watercall Limited) (Licensed Water Suppliers) Direction 2006, laid under the Water Industry Act 1991.
Select Committee Reports
14. Merits of Statutory Instruments—The following Report from the Select Committee was made and ordered to be printed:
32nd Report, on the following negative instruments:
Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006;
Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2006;
Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules. (HL Paper 165)
15. European Union—The 32nd Report from the Select Committee, Illegal Migrants: proposals for a common EU returns policy, was made and ordered to be printed. (HL Paper 166)
Private Business
16. HBOS Group Reorganisation Bill—The Examiner’s certificate that no further standing order is applicable was ordered to lie on the Table.
Public Business
17. Conventions—It was moved by the Lord President (Baroness Amos) that, accepting the primacy of the House of Commons, it is expedient that a Joint Committee of the Lords and Commons be appointed to consider the practicality of codifying the key conventions on the relationship between the two Houses of Parliament which affect the consideration of legislation, in particular:
(A) the Salisbury-Addison convention that the Lords does not vote against measures included in the governing party’s Manifesto;
(B) conventions on secondary legislation;
(C) the convention that Government business in the Lords should be considered in reasonable time;
(D) conventions governing the exchange of amendments to legislation between the two Houses;
and that the Committee should report by Friday 21st July 2006;
after debate, the motion was agreed to (see division list 1); and a message was ordered to be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.
1. 18. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL]—It was moved by the Lord Adonis that it be an instruction to the Grand Committee to which the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL] has been committed that they consider the bill in the following order:
Clause 1
Schedule 1
Clause 2
Schedule 2
Clauses 3 to 5
Schedule 3 | Clauses 6 to 25
Schedule 4
Clauses 26 to 46
Schedule 5
Clauses 47 to 50; |
the motion was agreed to.19. Work and Families Bill—The report was received; amendments were moved and (by leave of the House) withdrawn; an amendment was disagreed to (see division list 2).
20. Company Law Reform [HL]—The bill was reported from the Grand Committee with amendments; it was ordered that the bill be printed as amended. (HL Bill 98)
The House was adjourned at a quarter past seven o’clock
till tomorrow, three 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.
Company Law Reform Bill [HL]—The bill was further considered in the Grand Committee; amendments were moved and (by leave of the Committee) withdrawn; amendments were agreed to; the question that a clause stand part of the bill was negatived; it was ordered that the bill be reported with amendments.
The Committee was adjourned at thirteen minutes before six o’clock. | 
