Business without Debate

Tuesday 26th June 2012 Commons Chamber

Delegated Legislation

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),

Companies

That the draft Statutory Auditors (Amendment of Companies Act 2006 and Delegation of Functions etc) Order 2012, which was laid before this House on 15 May, be approved.—(Bill Wiggin.)

Question agreed to.

European Union Documents

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)),

European Semester in the UK

That the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 10834/12, relating to the Commission Communication: Action for stability, growth and jobs; No. 10557/12 and Addendum, relating to the draft Council Recommendation on the United Kingdom’s 2012 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on the United Kingdom’s convergence programme for 2012–2017; and No. 10846/12, relating to a Commission Staff Working Document: In depth review for the United Kingdom in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No. 1176/2011 on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances; welcomes the Commission’s support for the Government’s efforts to reduce the deficit and set the public finances on a sustainable path, which is consistent with the conclusions reached by the IMF and the OECD in their recent reviews of the UK economy; takes note of the Commission’s efforts to address timing difficulties with the European Semester; welcomes the Government’s approach to promoting growth domestically and at EU level; and welcomes the Government’s policy of securing assurances that the UK cannot be subject to sanctions in respect of the Stability and Growth Pact or the new Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure [4th Report of Session 2012-13, HC 86-iv, Chapter 3].—(Bill Wiggin.)

The Speaker’s opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 27 June (Standing Order No. 41A).

Welsh Grand committee

Motion made,

That—

(1) the Green Paper on future electoral arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales be referred to the Welsh Grand Committee for its consideration;

(2) the Committee shall meet at Westminster on Monday 2 July at 11.30 am and 4.00 pm to consider—

(a) a Ministerial statement by the Secretary of State for Wales, proceeded with under Standing Order No. 105 (Welsh Grand Committee (ministerial statements));

(b) the matter referred to it under paragraph (1) above; and

(3) the Chair shall interrupt proceedings at the afternoon sitting not later than two hours after their commencement at that sitting.—(Bill Wiggin.)

[Hon. Members]

Object.

[Sir Peter Bottomley]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Motion 3 on the Order Paper includes the words,

“welcomes the Commission’s support for the Government’s efforts to reduce the deficit and set the public finances on a sustainable path”.

Is that an issue on which the Opposition could have called for a debate, rather than just a vote?

[Mr Speaker]

I think that the matter has already been debated in a European Committee. It is therefore not immediately obvious to me how a debate would have been sought today. The answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question—

[Sir Peter Bottomley]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I do not require any further point of order. The answer to the question is no.

[Sir Peter Bottomley]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I have made the point. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat.

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The administrators, PricewaterhouseCoopers, have announced this evening that the Coryton refinery has been sold, not as a refinery, but as an import and export terminal, meaning that most of the 850 jobs will go. Have you had any indication from Ministers from the Department of Energy and Climate Change that they intend to come to the House to make an urgent statement on the implications of that announcement for UK fuel security and energy resilience?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. As of now, I have received no such indication. I recognise the importance of the matter to the hon. Gentleman and to others. What he has said will have been heard by those on the Treasury Bench.

If the hon. Member for Worthing West (Sir Peter Bottomley), having exercised a modicum of restraint and patience, wishes to pursue a different point of order, he may do so.

[Sir Peter Bottomley]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The question that I put to you was whether the Opposition could have had such a debate, rather than whether they should have had one. The answer may be the same, but the answer that the House was given was not relevant to the question that I had put.

[Mr Speaker]

The answer is no. I am grateful for the linguistic clarification, but the answer is the same.