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Business of the House

I beg to move,"That the following provisions shall have effect—""Sittings on 7 and 8 April: general ""1. At the sittings today and tomorrow—""(1) any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour, and shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House;""(2) any Lords Amendments or Lords Message in respect of any Bill may be considered forthwith without any further Question being put;""(3) Standing Orders Nos. 83D to 83H and 83I(2), (3) and (6) (conclusion of proceedings, &c.) shall apply to proceedings to be taken in accordance with this Order (but with the omission of Standing Orders Nos. 83D(2)(c) and 83E(2)(c));""(4) notices of Amendments, new Clauses or new Schedules to be moved in Committee on any Bill may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before the Bill has been read a second time; and""(5) Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.""Wednesday 7 April ""2. At today's sitting the following business shall be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) at the time after its commencement shown in brackets at the end of each sub-paragraph—""(1) proceedings on consideration and Third Reading of the Bribery Bill [Lords] (one hour);""(2) Committee of the whole House and remaining proceedings on the Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [Lords] (one hour);""(3) proceedings on the Motion in the name of Secretary Alan Johnson relating to the draft Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2010 (one hour);""(4) proceedings on consideration and Third Reading of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill (one hour);""(5) any Motion made by a Minister of the Crown for the bringing in of an Appropriation Bill, presentation and First Reading of any Bill brought in in pursuance of that Motion and remaining proceedings on any such Bill, to which Standing Order No. 56 (Consolidated Fund Bills) shall apply (forthwith);""(6) Second Reading and remaining proceedings on the Finance Bill (three hours); and""(7) Committee of the whole House and remaining proceedings on the Digital Economy Bill [Lords] (two hours).""3. Proceedings on any Lords Amendments or Lords Message in respect of any Bill which are taken at today's sitting shall be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) one hour after their commencement.""4. Paragraph 2(3) shall have effect notwithstanding Standing Order No. 16 (Proceedings under an Act or on European Union documents).""5. Paragraph 2(6) shall have effect notwithstanding the practice of the House as to the intervals between stages of a Bill brought in upon Ways and Means Resolutions.""6. If the Finance Bill is read a second time, it shall stand committed to a Committee of the whole House and the House will immediately resolve itself into a Committee on the Bill.""7. If, on the conclusion of proceedings in Committee on the Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [Lords], the Finance Bill or the Digital Economy Bill [Lords], the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.""8. At today's sitting, the Speaker shall not adjourn the House until any Messages from the Lords have been received and any Committee to draw up Reasons has reported.""Thursday 8 April ""9. At tomorrow's sitting proceedings on consideration and Third Reading of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill shall be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) one hour after their commencement.""10. Proceedings on any Lords Amendments or Lords Message in respect of any Bill which are taken at tomorrow's sitting shall be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) one hour after their commencement.""11. At tomorrow's sitting, the Speaker shall not adjourn the House before a Message has been received from the Lords Commissioners.""12. On Thursday 8 April there shall be no sitting in Westminster Hall.""General ""13. Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings to which this Order applies.""14. The Order made on Friday 12 March 2010 that the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill be considered on Friday 23 April 2010 shall be discharged; and, notwithstanding the practice of the House which forbids the bringing forward of an Order of the Day, the Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee, shall be considered tomorrow.""15. A reference in this Order to proceedings on or in respect of a Bill includes a reference to proceedings on any Money Resolution, Ways and Means Resolution or Order of Consideration Motion in relation to those proceedings.""16. The Speaker may not arrange for a debate to be held in accordance with Standing Order No. 24 (emergency debates) at today's sitting, or at tomorrow's sitting, before the conclusion of the proceedings at that sitting to which this Order applies.""17. If today's sitting continues after 10.30 am on Thursday 8 April, this Order shall have effect as if any reference to the sitting on Thursday 8 April were a reference to today's sitting." Yesterday, I announced to the House the business that we will take in the run-up to Dissolution next Monday. This motion will enable the House to conclude the passage of legislation before the general election. It allows the House a truncated process for concluding the consideration of Government Bills that have completed all their stages in one House and have had at least a Second Reading in the Second House. It also provides for the Finance Bill and Appropriation Bill to be taken through all their stages, which is essential to the continuation of the tax system and of public expenditure during the election period. The only Government Bills that will be taken through this truncated process are those that have already received a substantial amount of scrutiny in both Houses, or those essential to the maintenance of the public finances. The motion provides an opportunity for the House to complete its consideration of two private Members' Bills that were unopposed on Second Reading and have completed their Committee stage. The motion enables the House's remaining time to be divided between the Bills. By the time the House rises on Monday it will, I hope, have passed 13 Bills, in addition to the 10 Acts that have already received Royal Assent in the current Session. Hon. Members know that the process will work only if the official Opposition agree to the measures presented by the Government, and I thank them for their co-operation. Under the terms of the motion, each of the following items of business will be allocated up to one hour in today's sitting: Third Reading of the Bribery Bill [Lords]; Committee of the whole House and remaining stages of the Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [Lords]; consideration of the draft Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2010; and remaining stages of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill. All stages of the Appropriation Bill will then be taken. Up to three hours will be allocated to the Second Reading and remaining stages of the Finance Bill. The Committee and remaining stages of the Digital Economy Bill [Lords] will then be taken for up to two hours. The House may also be asked to consider any Lords amendments or other Lords messages that may be received for up to one hour each.