European Parliamentary Elections Bill — Minor and consequential amendments of Schedule 1 to the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978 — 12 Mar 1998

I beg to move amendment No. 8, in page 5, line 24, at end insert

', but no such order shall be made until the Secretary of State has submitted a report to both Houses of Parliament giving details of the calculations carried out in the course of the procedure mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a) above.'.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

I beg to move amendment No. 7, in page 9, leave out lines 15 to 28.

Let me say at the outset that this is a probing amendment. The fact that at this late stage in our consideration of the Bill, the last amendment to be considered on Report is a probing amendment says something about the nature of the Bill and its lack of clarity. A parliamentary election based on huge electoral

12 Mar 1998 : Column 816

regions under a proportional representation system will be a wholly new experience for the people of Great Britain. More to the point, it will be a wholly new experience for the people charged with the conduct of the election. It is the lack of any detail on the face of the Bill about how the election will be conducted that prompts us to seek clarification of some of that detail through the amendment and the short debate on it.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn .

Order for Third Reading read.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

We have had many hours of debate--appropriately, on the Floor of the House, as this is a constitutional measure. I explained earlier to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill), and to the House in November, that I have always subscribed to the view that there is no single perfect electoral system for all purposes. When we consider which voting system to introduce to any particular institution, we need to consider the nature of the powers and functions of the body concerned.

The European Parliament is a representative body, and not a Parliament from which a Government are drawn. The United Kingdom can only return 87 Members to it, which means inevitably that Members of the European Parliament can never enjoy the same close links with those who elect them as Members of this Parliament do with their constituents. Moreover--regardless of whether people endorse it--the European Union already works at a regional, as well as at a national, level.

Those considerations led a committee, which was chaired by my noble Friend Lord Plant of Highfield, to propose to the Labour party that the most appropriate

12 Mar 1998 : Column 820

system for electing MEPs was a regional one, which placed a premium on proportionality. That proposal was endorsed by the Labour party at its conference in 1993; it became a commitment in our manifesto, which was endorsed by the British people on 1 May last year.

Question put, That the Bill be now read the Third time:--

The House divided: Ayes 198, Noes 87.

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All Votes Cast - sorted by vote

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Mrs Irene AdamsPaisley NorthLab (minister)aye
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLabaye
Bob AinsworthCoventry North EastLab (minister)aye
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)aye
Janet AndersonRossendale and DarwenLab (minister)tellaye
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLabaye
John AustinErith and ThamesmeadLabaye
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)aye
Mrs Jackie BallardTauntonLDemaye
Mr Tony BanksWest HamLab (minister)aye
Mr Nigel BeardBexleyheath and CrayfordLabaye
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLab (minister)aye
Anne BeggAberdeen SouthLab (minister)aye
Mr Gerry BerminghamSt Helens SouthLabaye
Roger BerryKingswoodLabaye
Clive BettsSheffield, AttercliffeLab (minister)aye
Mr Paul BoatengBrent SouthLab (minister)aye
Colin BreedSouth East CornwallLDemaye
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendLab (minister)aye
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLabaye
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDem (front bench)aye
Mrs Christine ButlerCastle PointLabaye
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)aye
Mrs Anne CampbellCambridgeLabaye
Mr Ivor CaplinHoveLabaye
Mr Roger CasaleWimbledonLabaye
Ian CawseyBrigg and GooleLabaye
Mr David ChidgeyEastleighLDem (front bench)aye
Ms Judith ChurchDagenhamLabaye
Michael ClaphamBarnsley West and PenistoneLabaye
Dr David ClarkSouth ShieldsLab (minister)aye
Ms Helen ClarkPeterboroughLabaye
Dr Lynda ClarkEdinburgh PentlandsLab (minister)aye
Paul ClarkGillinghamLabaye
Charles ClarkeNorwich SouthLabaye
Tom ClarkeCoatbridge and ChrystonLab (minister)aye
Mr Tony ClarkeNorthampton SouthLabaye
Vernon CoakerGedlingLabaye
Ann CoffeyStockportLabaye
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLabaye
Mr Iain ColemanHammersmith and FulhamLabaye
Mr Tony ColmanPutneyLabaye
Mr Robin CorbettBirmingham, ErdingtonLab (minister)aye
Ms Jean CorstonBristol EastLabaye
Mr Brian CotterWeston-Super-MareLDem (front bench)aye
Professor Ross CranstonDudley NorthLabaye
John CummingsEasingtonLabaye
Mr Keith DarvillUpminsterLabaye
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Geraint DaviesCroydon CentralLab (minister)aye
Mr Terry DavisBirmingham, Hodge HillLabaye
Mr Hilton DawsonLancaster and WyreLabaye
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLab (minister)aye
Jim DowdLewisham WestLab (minister)aye
David DrewStroudLab (minister)aye
Ms Julia DrownSouth SwindonLabaye
Margaret EwingMoraySNPaye
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLabaye
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)aye
Paul FlynnNewport WestLabaye
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)aye
Michael FosterWorcesterLabaye
Mrs Maria FyfeGlasgow MaryhillLabaye
Mike GapesIlford SouthLabaye
Barry GardinerBrent NorthLab (minister)aye
Bruce GeorgeWalsall SouthLabaye
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLabaye
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLabaye
Linda GilroyPlymouth, SuttonLabaye
Roger GodsiffBirmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathLabaye
Mrs Eileen GordonRomfordLabaye
Ms Jane GriffithsReading EastLabaye
Nigel GriffithsEdinburgh SouthLab (minister)aye
Mike HallWeaver ValeLabaye
Mike HancockPortsmouth SouthLDem (front bench)aye
Sylvia HealHalesowen and Rowley Regiswhilst Labaye
Stephen HepburnJarrowLab (minister)aye
John HeppellNottingham EastLabaye
Patricia HewittLeicester WestLabaye
Kate HoeyVauxhallLabaye
John Home RobertsonEast LothianLabaye
Phil HopeCorbyLabaye
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLabaye
Mr Alan HowarthNewport EastLab (minister)aye
George HowarthKnowsley North and Sefton EastLab (minister)aye
Mr Kevin HughesDoncaster NorthLab (minister)aye
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)aye
John HuttonBarrow and FurnessLabaye
Brian IddonBolton South EastLabaye
Adam IngramEast KilbrideLab (minister)aye
Glenda JacksonHampstead and HighgateLab (minister)aye
Brian JenkinsTamworthLabaye
Alan JohnsonKingston upon Hull West and HessleLabaye
Miss Melanie JohnsonWelwyn HatfieldLabaye
Fiona JonesNewarkLabaye
Mr Nigel JonesCheltenhamLDem (front bench)aye
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)aye
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLabaye
Ann KeenBrentford and IsleworthLabaye
Ruth KellyBolton WestLabaye
Charles KennedyRoss, Skye and Inverness WestLDem (front bench)aye
Jane KennedyLiverpool, WavertreeLab (minister)aye
Piara S KhabraEaling, SouthallLabaye
Mr Andy KingRugby and KenilworthLabaye
Ms Oona KingBethnal Green and BowLab (minister)aye
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLabaye
Tom LevittHigh PeakLabaye
Martin LintonBatterseaLabaye
Tony LloydManchester CentralLab (minister)aye
Mr David LockWyre ForestLabaye
Mr Robert MaclennanCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossLDem (front bench)aye
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLabaye
Fiona MactaggartSloughLabaye
Judy MallaberAmber ValleyLabaye
Robert Marshall-AndrewsMedwayLabaye
Eric MartlewCarlisleLabaye
Thomas McAvoyGlasgow RutherglenLab (minister)aye
Steve McCabeBirmingham, Hall GreenLabaye
Chris McCaffertyCalder ValleyLabaye
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLabaye
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLabaye
Mr Kevin McNamaraKingston upon Hull NorthLabaye
Mr Tony McWalterHemel HempsteadLabaye
Mr John McWilliamBlaydonLabaye
Michael MeacherOldham West and RoytonLab (minister)aye
Gillian MerronLincolnLabaye
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLab (minister)aye
Mr Bill MichieSheffield, HeeleyLabaye
Alan MilburnDarlingtonLab (minister)aye
Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and NestonLabaye
Laura MoffattCrawleyLabaye
Michael MooreTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleLDem (front bench)aye
Margaret MoranLuton SouthLabaye
Elliot MorleyScunthorpeLab (minister)aye
Sir John MorrisAberavonLab (minister)aye
Kali MountfordColne ValleyLabaye
George MudieLeeds EastLab (minister)aye
Dan NorrisWansdykeLabaye
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)aye
Bill OlnerNuneatonLabaye
Lembit ÖpikMontgomeryshireLDemaye
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLabaye
Ian PearsonDudley SouthLabaye
Mr Colin PickthallWest LancashireLabaye
Mr Peter PikeBurnleyLabaye
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLabaye
Mr Kerry PollardSt AlbansLabaye
Mr Chris PondGraveshamLabaye
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)aye
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLab (minister)tellaye
John PrescottKingston upon Hull EastLab (minister)aye
Dawn PrimaroloBristol SouthLab (minister)aye
Ken PurchaseWolverhampton North EastLabaye
Ms Joyce QuinGateshead East and Washington WestLab (minister)aye
Mr Lawrie QuinnScarborough and WhitbyLabaye
Bill RammellHarlowLabaye
Mr Syd RapsonPortsmouth NorthLabaye
Andy ReedLoughboroughLabaye
Mr David RendelNewburyLDemaye
Mr George RobertsonHamilton SouthLab (minister)aye
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLabaye
Bob RussellColchesterLDemaye
Joan RyanEnfield NorthLabaye
Adrian SandersTorbayLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Malcolm SavidgeAberdeen NorthLabaye
Mr Phil SawfordKetteringLabaye
Mr Brian SedgemoreHackney South and ShoreditchLabaye
Jonathan R ShawChatham and AylesfordLabaye
Angela SmithBasildonLabaye
Jacqui SmithRedditchLabaye
Helen SouthworthWarrington SouthLabaye
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)aye
Rachel SquireDunfermline WestLabaye
Phyllis StarkeyMilton Keynes South WestLabaye
Mr David StewartInverness East, Nairn and LochaberLabaye
Ian StewartEcclesLabaye
Mr Paul StinchcombeWellingboroughLabaye
Howard StoateDartfordLabaye
Jack StrawBlackburnLab (minister)aye
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)aye
Mrs Ann TaylorDewsburyLab (minister)aye
Matthew TaylorTruro and St AustellLDem (front bench)aye
Stephen TimmsEast HamLabaye
Paddy TippingSherwoodLabaye
Mark ToddSouth DerbyshireLabaye
Dr Jenny TongeRichmond ParkLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Dennis TurnerWolverhampton South EastLab (minister)aye
Desmond TurnerBrighton, KemptownLabaye
Dr George TurnerNorth West NorfolkLabaye
Rudi VisFinchley and Golders GreenLabaye
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)aye
Robert WareingLiverpool, West DerbyLabaye
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)aye
Mr Brian WhiteNorth East Milton KeynesLabaye
Malcolm WicksCroydon NorthLabaye
Michael WillsNorth SwindonLabaye
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLabaye
Mr Tony WorthingtonClydebank and MilngavieLab (minister)aye
Anthony D WrightGreat YarmouthLabaye
Tony WrightCannock ChaseLabaye
Peter AinsworthEast SurreyConno
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireCon (front bench)no
Peter AtkinsonHexhamConno
Tim BoswellDaventryCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon (front bench)no
Julian BrazierCanterburyConno
Simon BurnsWest ChelmsfordCon (front bench)no
Bill CashStoneConno
Sir Sydney ChapmanChipping BarnetConno
James ClappisonHertsmereCon (front bench)no
Geoffrey Clifton-BrownCotswoldCon (front bench)no
Mr Michael ColvinRomseyConno
Mr James CranBeverley and HoldernessContellno
Quentin DaviesGrantham and StamfordCon (front bench)no
Mr Stephen DayCheadleConno
Stephen DorrellCharnwoodCon (front bench)no
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon (front bench)no
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyConno
Mr David FaberWestburyConno
Michael FallonSevenoaksCon (front bench)no
Mr Howard FlightArundel and South DownsCon (front bench)no
Edward GarnierHarboroughConno
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon (front bench)no
Mr Christopher GillLudlowConno
James GrayNorth WiltshireCon (front bench)no
John GreenwayRyedaleConno
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon (front bench)no
John GummerSuffolk CoastalConno
Philip HammondRunnymede and WeybridgeCon (front bench)no
Mr Nick HawkinsSurrey HeathConno
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireCon (front bench)no
David Heathcoat-AmoryWellsConno
John HoramOrpingtonConno
Gerald HowarthAldershotCon (front bench)no
Michael JackFyldeConno
Bernard JenkinNorth EssexCon (front bench)no
Julie KirkbrideBromsgroveConno
Eleanor LaingEpping ForestCon (front bench)no
Jacqui LaitBeckenhamConno
Edward LeighGainsboroughCon (front bench)no
Peter LilleyHitchin and HarpendenCon (front bench)no
Sir Peter LloydFarehamConno
Peter LuffMid WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
Mr John MacGregorSouth NorfolkConno
Andrew MacKayBracknellConno
Mr David MadelSouth West BedfordshireConno
Mr Ken MaginnisFermanagh and South TyroneUUPno
Humfrey MalinsWokingConno
Dr Brian MawhinneyNorth West CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
Anne McIntoshVale of YorkConno
Patrick McLoughlinWest DerbyshireCon (front bench)no
Malcolm MossNorth East CambridgeshireConno
Mr Patrick NichollsTeignbridgeConno
Mr Archie NormanTunbridge WellsConno
Richard OttawayCroydon SouthCon (front bench)no
Mr Richard PageSouth West HertfordshireConno
Owen PatersonNorth ShropshireCon (front bench)no
Eric PicklesBrentwood and OngarCon (front bench)no
Mr David PriorNorth NorfolkCon (front bench)no
John RandallUxbridgeConno
Andrew RobathanBlabyCon (front bench)no
Laurence RobertsonTewkesburyCon (front bench)no
David RuffleyBury St EdmundsCon (front bench)no
Mr Jonathan SayeedMid BedfordshireConno
Mrs Gillian ShephardSouth West NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Nicholas SoamesMid SussexConno
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)no
Michael SpicerWest WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
Richard SpringWest SuffolkConno
Gary StreeterSouth West DevonCon (front bench)no
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon (front bench)no
Robert SymsPooleCon (front bench)no
Peter TapsellLouth and HorncastleConno
Ian TaylorEsher and WaltonConno
Mr John TaylorSolihullConno
Mr Teddy TaylorRochford and Southend EastConno
Mr Michael TrendWindsorConno
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon (front bench)no
Peter ViggersGosportConno
Charles WardleBexhill and Battlewhilst Conno
Nigel WatersonEastbourneContellno
Mr Bowen WellsHertford and StortfordConno
Ann WiddecombeMaidstone and The WealdConno
Ann WintertonCongletonConno
Nicholas WintertonMacclesfieldConno
Shaun WoodwardWitneywhilst Conno
Tim YeoSouth SuffolkCon (front bench)no
George YoungNorth West HampshireCon (front bench)no

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