European Parliamentary Elections Bill — 2 Dec 1998

Order for Second Reading read.

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

When I moved the guillotine motion earlier, I said that there was little new to be said about the Bill. As the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Allan) more eloquently put it, the time for debate is over and the time has come to make a decision. That is the truth of the matter. I have here copies of the Official Report of the debates in the other place and this House on this short--albeit important--Bill. The debates fill many columns. Indeed, we have debated the matter on six or more occasions. We had not only a full day on Second Reading, as we should have done, but three days in Committee on the Floor of the House and a further day on Report and Third Reading.

The hon. Gentleman spent the whole debate voting for the closed-list system.

The Home Secretary made his statement on the compatibility of the Bill with the convention not by answering a question in the House or in the Votes and Proceedings of the House; presumably he simply signed a piece of paper in the Home Office to that effect.

It being four hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Bill, Mr. Deputy Speaker put the Question already proposed from the Chair, pursuant to the Order [this day].

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

The House divided: Ayes 315, Noes 123.

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