Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill - Commons Reasons and Amendments – in the House of Lords at 4:00 pm on 14 May 2024.
Votes in this debate
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch:
Moved by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
At end insert “, and do propose Amendments 32B and 32C in lieu—
32B: Clause 89, page 55, line 20, at end insert— “(1A) Appeals (or parts of appeals) to a penalty imposed under section 85 (penalties for failure to comply with competition requirements) through the application of section 114 of the EA 2002 do not apply to— (a) the CMA’s original decision to impose the requirements as set out in section 85(2), or (b) the original finding that an undertaking has failed to comply with a conduct requirement as set out in section 85(3). (1B) Appeals (or parts of appeals) relating to the decisions listed in subsection (1A) must be determined in accordance with the requirement in section 103(4).”
32C: Clause 103, page 62, line 4, after “89(1)” insert “to (1B)””
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Shadow Spokesperson (Science, Innovation and Technology)
My Lords, the Minister said more or less that he agreed with our position but did not see the need for the amendments to be on the face of the Bill. The argument he gave was that the courts would have no difficulty in distinguishing the penalties from the earlier elements of the case—but, as we have already heard this afternoon, some of those legal disputes are just beginning. It is not as clear-cut as we would like, legally, and therefore we do feel the need for that clarification to be in the Bill. I therefore wish to test the opinion of the House on Motion C2.
Ayes 221, Noes 222.
Division number 1
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill - Commons Reasons and Amendments — Motion C2 (as an amendment to Motion C)
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
A person involved in the counting of votes. Derived from the word 'tallier', meaning one who kept a tally.
