Skip to main content

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (Programme) (No. 2)

Volume 526: debated on Wednesday 30 March 2011

I beg to move,

That the Order of 13 December 2010 (Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (Programme)) be varied as follows:

1. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Order shall be omitted.

2. Proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading shall be concluded in two days.

3. Proceedings on Consideration shall be taken on each of those days as shown in the following Table and in the order so shown.

4. The proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the time specified in the second column of the Table.

First day

Proceedings

Time for conclusion of proceedings

New Clauses and amendments to Clauses, and new Schedules and amendments to Schedules, relating to Part 1

6.00 pm

New Clauses and amendments to Clauses, and new Schedules, relating to Clause 152

7.00 pm

Second day

Proceedings

Time for conclusion of proceedings

New Clauses and amendments to Clauses, and new Schedules, relating to Part 2

3.00 pm

New Clauses and amendments to Clauses, and new Schedules and amendments to Schedules, relating to Part 3 and Clauses 149 to 151; remaining proceedings on Consideration

5.00 pm

5. Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on the second day.

The programme motion allows two days of debate on the Bill. That was not sought, but the Government felt that it was right to offer it to give sufficient time for debate. We had eight days of debate in Committee and a full discussion of the issues. Having two days will allow police and crime commissioners to be debated. Time will be allowed specifically to debate universal jurisdiction, and tomorrow there will be time to debate alcohol, drugs and protest in Parliament square. The motion was revised to take into account the views of the Opposition expressed through the usual channels, so I hope that it will be acceptable to the House.

It would be churlish not to recognise the fact that the Government have provided an additional day’s debate. We are grateful for that. Notwithstanding the time we have, the problem is that the Bill raises so many issues that lack clarity, but no doubt we will debate them this afternoon. As I have said, however, we are grateful for the additional day, and it would be churlish not to recognise that fact.

Question put and agreed to.