Finance (No. 3) Bill — House of Commons, 2019-01-08
Topic: Environment
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 7—Review of effect of carbon emissions tax on climate targets— "The Chancellor of the Exchequer must review the expected effect of the carbon emissions tax on the United Kingdom’s ability to meet its internationally agreed climate targets and lay a report of that review before the House within six months of the passing of this Act." New clause 12—Review of expenditure implications of Part 3— "(1) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must review the expenditure implications of commencing Part 3 of this Act and lay a report of that review before the House of Commons within six months of the passing of this Act (2) No regulations may be made by the Commissioners under section 78(1) unless the review under subsection (1) has been laid before the House of Commons." This new clause would require a review within 6 months of the expenditure implications of introducing a carbon emissions tax. It would prevent part 3 (carbon emissions tax) coming into effect until such a review had been laid before the House of Commons. New clause 13—Report on consultation on certain provisions of this Act (No. 2)— "(1) No later than two months after the passing of this Act, the Chancellor of the Exchequer must lay before the House of Commons a report on the consultation undertaken on the provisions in subsection (2) (2) Those provisions are— (a) sections 68 to 78, (b) section 89, and (c) section 90 (3) A report under this section must specify in respect of each provision listed in subsection (2)— (a) whether a version of the provision was published in draft, (b) if so, whether changes were made as a result of consultation on the draft, (c) if not, the reasons why the provision was not published in draft and any consultation which took place on the proposed provision in the absence of such a draft." This new clause would require a report on the consultation undertaken on certain provisions of the Bill – alongside New Clause 11, New Clause 14 and New Clause 15. New clause 19—Review of powers in consequence of EU withdrawal (No. 2)— "(1) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must, no later than a week after the passing of this Act and before exercising the power in section 89(1), lay before the House of Commons a review of the following matters— (a) the fiscal and economic effects of the exercise of the powers in section 89(1) and of the outcome of negotiations for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union giving rise to their exercise; (b) a comparison of those fiscal and economic effects with the effects if a negotiated withdrawal agreement and a framework for a future relationship with the EU had been agreed to; (c) any differences in the exercise of those powers in respect of— (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, and (iv) Northern Ireland; (d) any differential effects in relation to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) in relation between— (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, and (iv) Northern Ireland." This new clause would require a review of the economic and fiscal impact of the use of the powers in section 89 in the event of no deal and in event of a withdrawal agreement passing. Amendment 16, in clause 78, page 51, line 32, after "may" insert "(subject to section (Review of expenditure implications of Part 3))" See New Clause 12. Amendment 1, in clause 89, page 66, line 38, at end insert— "(1A) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must, no later than a week after the passing of this Act and before exercising the power in subsection (1), lay before the House of Commons a review of the following matters— (a) the fiscal and economic effects of the exercise of those powers and of the outcome of negotiations for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union giving rise to their exercise; (b) a comparison of those fiscal and economic effects with the effects if a negotiated withdrawal agreement and a framework for a future relationship with the EU had been agreed to; (c) any differences in the exercise of those powers in respect of— (i) Great Britain, and (ii) Northern Ireland; (d) any differential effects in relation to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) in relation between (i) Great Britain, and (ii) Northern Ireland." This amendment would require the Chancellor of the Exchequer to review the fiscal and economic effects of the exercise of the powers in subsection (1) before exercising those powers. Amendment 13, page 67, line 7, leave out subsection (5) and insert— "(5) No statutory instrument containing regulations under this section may be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the House of Commons." This amendment would make Clause 89 (Minor amendments in consequence of EU withdrawal) subject to the affirmative procedure. Amendment 7, page 67, line 19, at end insert— "(7) The provisions of this section only come into force if— (a) a negotiated withdrawal agreement and a framework for the future relationship have been approved by a resolution of the House of Commons on a motion moved by a Minister of the Crown for the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, or (b) the Prime Minister has notified the President of the European Council, in accordance with Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, of the United Kingdom’s request to extend the period in which the Treaties shall still apply to the United Kingdom, or (c) leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement and a framework for the future relationship has been approved by a resolution of the House of Commons on a motion moved by a Minister of the Crown." This amendment would prevent the Government implementing the "no deal" provisions of Clause 89 without the explicit consent of Parliament for such an outcome. It would provide three options for the provisions of Clause 89 to come into force: if the House of Commons has approved a negotiated withdrawal agreement and a framework for the future relationship; if the Government has sought an extension of the Article 50 period; or the House of Commons has approved leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement and framework for the future relationship. Amendment 8, page 67, line 19, at end insert— "(7) The provisions of this section shall not come into force until the House of Commons has come to a resolution on a motion made by a Minister of the Crown agreeing its commencement." Amendment 14, in clause 90, page 67, line 22, after "may" insert "(subject to subsections (1A) and (1B))" See Amendment 15 Amendment 15, page 67, line 24, at end insert— "(1A) Before proposing to incur expenditure under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must lay before the House of Commons— (a) a statement of the circumstances (in relation to negotiations relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union) that give rise to the need for such preparatory expenditure, and (b) an estimate of the expenditure to be incurred (1B) No expenditure may be incurred under subsection (1) unless the House of Commons comes to a resolution that it has considered the statement and estimate under subsection (1A) and approves the proposed expenditure." This amendment would require a statement on the circumstances (in relation to negotiations) giving rise to the need for, as well as an estimate of the cost of, preparatory expenditure to introduce a charging scheme for greenhouse gas allowances. The amendment would require a Commons resolution before expenditure could be incurred. New clause 18—Review of effects on measures in Act of certain changes in migration levels— "(1) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must review the effects on the provisions of this Act of migration in the scenarios in subsection (2) and lay a report of that review before the House of Commons within one month of the passing of this Act (2) Those scenarios are that— (a) the United Kingdom does not leave the European Union, (b) the United Kingdom leaves the European Union without a negotiated withdrawal agreement, (c) the United Kingdom leaves the European Union following a negotiated withdrawal agreement, and remains in the single market and customs union, (d) the United Kingdom leaves the United Kingdom on the terms of the draft withdrawal agreement of 14 November 2018 (3) In respect of each of those scenarios the review must consider separately the effects of— (a) migration by EU nationals, and (b) migration by non-EU nationals (4) In respect of each of those scenarios the review must consider separately the effects on the measures in each part of the United Kingdom and each region of England (5) In this section— "parts of the United Kingdom" means— (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland; "regions of England" has the same meaning as that used by the Office for National Statistics." This new clause would require a review of effects on measures in the Bill of certain changes in migration levels.