Report stage and third reading of Public Bodies Bill [HL]
26 October 2011 (updated on 26 October 2011)
The House of Commons held the report stage and third reading of the Public Bodies Bill [HL]on Tuesday 25 October. The Bill has now completed all its Commons stages and any amendments the Commons made to the Bill will now be considered by the House of Lords.
Summary of the Bill
The Bill is largely enabling legislation. It is the main legislative vehicle for taking forward the Government’s review of public bodies, the results of which were published in October 2010.
The Bill would allow Ministers, by order, to abolish, merge or transfer the functions of the public bodies listed in the appropriate schedules to the Act. The Bill has completed its passage through the House of Lords where it underwent significant amendment.
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation on the Public Bodies Bill [HL]. Also find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
NB: [HL] denotes that the Bill was introduced into the House of Lords before being considered by the House of Commons.
Report stage proceedings and third reading
MPs considered in the following order; New Clauses 1-4, 7 and 11, amendments 5, 32, 33, 2, 6, 12-20, 7, 21-25, 8-9, 26-27, 10, 28, 11 and 29.
New Clause 1 relates to delegation of functions by the Environment Agency, New Clause 2 relates to the delegation of Welsh environmental functions, New Clause 3 relates to shared services and New Clause 4 relates to shared services of the Forestry Commissioners, all were read a first and second time and added to the Bill.
New Clause 7 relates to agricultural wages and was read a first time and was by leave withdrawn
New Clause 11 relates to Youth Justice Board powers and responsibilities in relation to wales and was read a first time and by leave withdrawn.
Amendment 5 was agreed to without a division.
Amendment 32 was negatived on a division (Ayes 219; Noes 296).
Amendment 33 was negatived on a division (Ayes 219; Noes 301).
Amendment 2 was negatived on a division (Ayes 235; Noes 287).
Amendments 6, 12-20, 7, 21-25, 8-9, 26-27, 10, 28, 11 and 29 were agreed to without a division.
The Bill was read a third time after a division (Ayes 300; Noes 224).
Watch and read the views expressed by MPs considering the Bill at report stage and third reading on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard. The Commons amendments to the Bill will now be considered by the House of Lords.
- Parliament TV: Report stage and third reading of Public Bodies Bill [HL]
- Commons Hansard: Report stage and third reading of Public Bodies Bill [HL]
Report stage and third reading
The report stage gives MPs an opportunity, on the floor of the House, to consider further amendments (proposals for change) to a Bill which has been examined in committee.
There is no set time period between the end of committee stage and the start of the report stage.
What happens at report stage?
All MPs may speak and vote, for lengthy or complex Bills the debates may be spread over several days. All MPs can suggest amendments to the Bill or new clauses (parts) they think should be added.
What happens after report stage?
Report stage is usually followed immediately by debate on the Bill's third reading.
What happens at third reading?
Debate on the Bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the Bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.
Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a Bill at third reading in the Commons.
At the end of the debate, the House decides (votes on) whether to approve the third reading of the Bill.
What happens after third reading?
If the Bill started in the Commons it goes to the House of Lords for its first reading. If the Bill started in the Lords it will return to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the Commons have made.