§ 'The Secretary of State shall at least once in each year certify in respect of each prison, remand centre and young offender institution—
- (a) the certified normal accommodation of the prison, remand centre or young offender institution, that is. to say the number of prisoners who can be satisfactorily accommodated in cells and dormitories; and
- (b) the certified regime capacity, that is to say the number of prisoners for which the prison can provide an acceptable regime.'.—[Mr. Michael.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ Mr. MichaelI beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Through the clause we want to make a positive contribution to resolving the major problem of prison overcrowding. We propose that once each year the Home Secretary shall
certify in respect of each prison, remand centre and young offender institutionthe normal accommodation of that institution. By that we mean
the number of prisoners who can be satisfactorily accommodated in cells and dormitories".Secondly, we want the Home Secretary to state, at least once each year, the certified regime capacity—the number of prisoners for which an acceptable regime can be provided. I emphasise the word "acceptable" as it is crucial to any understanding of the dangers of prisons at present. Governors warn that overcrowding is pushing prisons ever closer to explosion point. The House of Commons should respond to their warnings by finding a mechanism to deal with the problem.
The Minister who responded to the corresponding debate in Committee ridiculed the amendment that we had tabled. He said, basically, that requiring the Home Secretary to come to the House to request permission to go above certified numbers would be too bureaucratic and would cause too much delay. We have been constructive in our response and have come up with a very simple proposal, which would require the Home Secretary merely to look at the situation in each prison every year. He would have to take account not only of the accommodation provided but of the possibility of dealing properly with prisoners. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman who is responding to this debate will be more positive in respect of some of these issues than was his hon. Friend who, replying in Committee, said:
The aim of the prison service is to house prisoners, without overcrowding, in accommodation close to their home area, but it must find suitably secure accommodation for those committed to custody by the courts. Those aims may be in conflict at times." —[Official Report, Standing Committee B, 8 March 1994; c. 1246.]We understand that there will be conflict between aims. Hence the need for a resolution mechanism and for accountability to Parliament with regard to the way in which the Home Secretary reconciles the different demands. The surprising thing about the response that I have just quoted is that it contains no mention of reform. The Minister did not say anything about the need to provide appropriate psychiatric treatment and education —the type of regime that leads to reform. The hon. Gentleman seemed to regard this as merely an exercise in numbers rather than as an exercise in the reform of prisoners.
Over the past year, prison numbers have shot up. In the first 11 months of 1993, the total increased by 16 per cent. That is an average of nearly 600 a month. The number of remand prisoners rose by 44 per cent. in that period, while the number of prisoners under 21 years of age increased by 22 per cent. I can bring some of that information up to date by saying that on Friday 18 March, there were 48,571 people in prison and 522 in police cells. I warn the House 227 that the holding in cells of people who ought to be in prison is another demonstration of the failure of the system to work properly.
Several consequences flow from prisoner numbers. The Director General of the Prison Service, Mr. Derek Lewis, tells us that the atmosphere in the prisons following the recent sharp increase in numbers is more volatile than at any time since the Strangeways riots of 1990. In his submission to the inquiry following those riots, the then director general referred to overcrowding as the single factor that dominated prisoners' lives, produced often intolerable pressure on staff and, as a consequence, soured industrial relations, skewed managerial effort and diverted management away from positive developments. In his report on the riots, Lord Justice Woolf unreservedly endorsed this assessment of the effect of overcrowding. He said:
Overcrowding is felt most sharply in the Victorian-built city centre prisons, which always bear the brunt of rising numbers.I pay tribute to the governors and prison officers who have to cope in these establishments. I refer in particular to Cardiff prison, which is on the border of my constituency.
Our amendment would not prevent the Government from squeezing extra prisoners into the gaols, but it would require them to state an upper limit. They would have to give careful thought to the question of the number of people that they could afford to allow to be accommodated in a prison without putting at risk the key role of the reform of offenders.
It is pointless to run a prison service in such a way that, in the long term, prisoners are more likely to offend again when they are released and, in the short term, the safety of prison staff is put at risk. Overcrowding results in cramped and unpleasant physical conditions. It also results in restricted regimes, as overcrowded prisons do not have the space, facilities or resources to provide prisoners with a full range of training, work and educational opportunities.
Judge Stephen Tumim, Chief Inspector of Prisons, commented in his annual report for 1991-92—so this reference relates to the immediate position:
Local prisons for men do not offer sufficient time out of cell or a satisfactory range of opportunities. Those we visited in 1991/92 remained overcrowded and invariably short of space. The number of inmates held in local prisons should be determined not by the number of beds that can be crammed in but by the facilities available to contain people decently and provide them with out of cell activity.That is why the new clause deals with both those requirements.Lord Justice Woolf said in his report on prison disturbances:
It is also clear from the evidence which the Inquiry has received from prisoners, that the conditions which exist at present in our prisons cause a substantial number of prisoners to leave prison more embittered and hostile to society than when they arrived. They leave prison, therefore, in a state of mind where they are more likely to re-offend.In an atmosphere in which the Home Secretary has used the one-line slogan "prison works" we should pay more attention to ensuring that prisons work effectively in reforming those sent to them. That is how to ensure that prisons work, not simply by cramming in numbers without thought. Overcrowding is a recipe not only for re-offending on release but for rioting in prisons. Many 228 recent reports have underlined the fact that it increases tension and frustration among those forced to live cheek by jowl in cramped conditions.We should pay particular attention to the comments of the chairman of the Prison Governors' Association, Mr. Brendan O'Friel. At the association's recent conference, he said:
We are building up a significant number of prisoners with a justifiable grudge against the Prison Service for moving them so far away from home … Steps must be taken to bring this to an end or it will bring trouble within our prisons.We should heed that warning because of the threat of danger not only within our prisons but back on the streets. He went on to say:Overcrowded prisons are unhealthy places, far more likely to turn out embittered, hardened and contaminated individuals. Overcrowding reduces the opportunities for staff to combat contamination. It makes it very difficult for staff to put in place positive programmes to encourage prisoners to face up to offending.Note the words "to face up"—not to give easy conditions but to force prisoners to face up to what they have done and the harm that they have caused to society. He then said:I appeal in the strongest possible terms to those in the rest of the criminal justice system to recognise that if the rise in the prison population continues, the whole criminal justice system could be plunged into chaos.4.45 pmHe added:
if the population rise continues, the risks we will have to face of further disturbances are fast becoming unacceptable.The new clause will not solve those problems, but will ensure that Ministers account to Parliament for how they run the Prison Service. It will ensure that Parliament has before it information on the assessment made by Ministers of whether the institutions can cope with numbers and can ensure that prisoners are returned to society less likely to offend and create new victims. That is why it is such an important new clause, and I commend it to the House.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Peter Lloyd)The new clause would require an annual reassessment of living accommodation and regime capacity across the entire prison service. Currently, reassessment is carried out whenever there are changes in living units, such as after refurbishment. That is a practical and flexible arrangement. Furthermore, Prison Service area managers have a continuing responsibility to satisfy themselves that living accommodation in the prisons in their areas meets the requirements of the Prison Act 1952, so nothing would be gained in practice by accepting the first part of the new clause, other than extra bureaucracy.
The hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) seemed to be unaware of the figure for certified normal accommodation. We know it for each prison. We are responsible to Parliament for it under the Prison Act 1952, which is why I have published regularly, in answers to questions from hon. Members, the CNA figure and the population by total service, individual prisons or prisons in particular regions. So information is readily available if ever the hon. Gentleman cares to ask for it. Indeed, he would find it if he looked back in recent editions of Hansard.
The regime capacity is a new concept. It would not, I fear, be an objective measure, but would depend on facilities, type of prison and prisoner, and availability of staff, which can vary heavily with, for example, the demand for court escorts. Despite the recent growth in the 229 prison population, however, purposeful activity has increased over the past year. Moreover, the new Prison Service operating standards that will be issued to governors shortly will help them to deliver more uniform and higher standards against which they will be individually judged. Each prison governor will have a contract with his area manager on how he will meet those standards during the coming year.
§ Dr. GodmanWill the Minister confirm that the current arrangements and procedures to which he has just referred will obtain in Scotland? Although our prisoners do not suffer from overcrowding to the same extent as south of the border, overcrowding is a problem.
§ Mr. LloydI cannot speak with authority on how accommodation available is certificated in Scotland. All that I can do is pass on the hon. Gentleman's inquiry to my colleague at the Scottish Office and ensure that the hon. Gentleman receives a reply. If I endeavour to reply here, I might get it wrong if a difference exists in the methodology in England and Wales and in Scotland.
As I was saying, capacity is a novel concept which it would be hard to measure objectively. Indeed, I am certain that it could not be measured objectively because it varies for a number of reasons, such as resources and availability of staff. It needs to differ from prison to prison, according to the prison's nature, facilities and type of prisoners. However, despite the recent growth in prison population, the regime activities have tended to improve. Last year, the amount of time spent out of cells in purposeful activity increased yet again.
I understand why the clause has been tabled. It is important to ensure that standards of accommodation and regime are kept under close scrutiny. I hope that what I have said persuades the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth that the arrangements and new operating standards meet that proper objective. He seems to have the impression that overcrowding has been increasing over a long period in the prison service. It has not. The number of prisoners has grown sharply over the past year after a decline. We now have about the same number of prisoners as we had four years ago, but, because of the Government's prison-building programme, they are, on the whole, much less overcrowded than they were. In much of the Prison Service, there is no overcrowding.
The hon. Gentleman spoke particularly of numbers in local prisons where, for many years, most of the pressure has been found. That is because local prisons have little room for expansion in town centres near the courts. They must house those sent to prison by the courts while they are on trial or remand. The only quick way of reducing overcrowding in those prisons is to move the prisoners elsewhere in the system, producing exactly the effect that the hon. Gentleman complained of—prisoners housed in prisons far away from their homes. Our prison building programme is designed to ensure that there is a sufficiency of places throughout the country where they are needed.
I hope that the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends will support the Government when we seek to build prisons in places where there is great local resistance—as of course there is at Fazakerley at the moment. In this case, the local population does not want a prison, but prisoners from Merseyside need an extra prison if they are not to be dispersed in large numbers across the rest of the country as happens now. I hope that we can count on the hon. 230 Gentleman's support in the matter. Judging by what he said, he ought to give his support and I hope that he will put his backing where his sentiments appear to lie.
§ Mr. MichaelWith the leave of the House, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Minister does not seem to realise that there is an increase in the use of police cells to hold prisoners. He does not seem to be heeding the warnings, which are growing louder, being given to the Government from many quarters. We do not need more information from the Minister; we need more accountability.
My hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) has ensured both the availability of information about this issue and an analysis of that information which shows the Government's shortcomings in this area. The Home Secretary needs to concentrate his mind on the regime in prison and the outcome of holding people in prison. The Home Secretary needs to listen to those who are involved in the Prison Service, including prison governors and prison officers. Our new clause will ensure that more listening and thinking takes place and, for that reason, we press it to a Division.
§ Question put, That the clause be read a Second time:—
§ The House divided: Ayes 247, Noes 281.
233| Division No. 198] | [4.51 pm |
| AYES | |
| Abbott, Ms Diane | Cook, Frank (Stockton N) |
| Adams, Mrs Irene | Cook, Robin (Livingston) |
| Ainger, Nick | Corbett, Robin |
| Ainsworth, Robert (Cov'try NE) | Corbyn, Jeremy |
| Allen, Graham | Corston, Ms Jean |
| Alton, David | Cousins, Jim |
| Anderson, Donald (Swansea E) | Cox, Tom |
| Anderson, Ms Janet (Ros'dale) | Cunningham, Jim (Covy SE) |
| Armstrong, Hilary | Cunningham, Rt Hon Dr John |
| Ashton, Joe | Dafis, Cynog |
| Austin-Walker, John | Dalyell, Tam |
| Barnes, Harry | Darling, Alistair |
| Barron, Kevin | Davidson, Ian |
| Battle, John | Davies, Bryan (Oldham C'tral) |
| Bayley, Hugh | Davies, Rt Hon Denzil (Llanelli) |
| Beckett, Rt Hon Margaret | Davies, Ron (Caerphilly) |
| Beggs, Roy | Denham, John |
| Beith, Rt Hon A. J. | Dewar, Donald |
| Bell, Stuart | Dixon, Don |
| Benn, Rt Hon Tony | Dobson, Frank |
| Benton, Joe | Donohoe, Brian H. |
| Bermingham, Gerald | Dunnachie, Jimmy |
| Berry, Roger | Eagle, Ms Angela |
| Betts, Clive | Enright, Derek |
| Blair, Tony | Etherington, Bill |
| Blunkett, David | Evans, John (St Helens N) |
| Bray, Dr Jeremy | Ewing, Mrs Margaret |
| Brown, Gordon (Dunfermline E) | Faulds, Andrew |
| Brown, N. (N'c'tle upon Tyne E) | Field, Frank (Birkenhead) |
| Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon) | Fisher, Mark |
| Burden, Richard | Flynn, Paul |
| Byers, Stephen | Forsythe, Clifford (Antrim S) |
| Caborn, Richard | Foster, Rt Hon Derek |
| Callaghan, Jim | Foulkes, George |
| Campbell, Mrs Anne (C'bridge) | Fraser, John |
| Campbell, Menzies (Fife NE) | Fyfe, Maria |
| Campbell, Ronnie (Blyth V) | Galbraith, Sam |
| Campbell-Savours, D. N. | Galloway, George |
| Cann, Jamie | Gapes, Mike |
| Chisholm, Malcolm | George, Bruce |
| Clapham, Michael | Gerrard, Neil |
| Clark, Dr David (South Shields) | Godman, Dr Norman A. |
| Clarke, Eric (Midlothian) | Godsiff, Roger |
| Clarke, Tom (Monklands W) | Golding, Mrs Llin |
| Clelland, David | Graham, Thomas |
| Clwyd, Mrs Ann | Grant, Bernie (Tottenham) |
| Coffey, Ann | Griffiths, Win (Blidgend) |
| Connarty, Michael | Grocott, Bruce |
| Hain, Peter | Mudie, George |
| Hall, Mike | Mullin, Chris |
| Hanson, David | Murphy, Paul |
| Harman, Ms Harriet | O'Brien, Michael (N W'kshire) |
| Harvey, Nick | O'Brein, William (Normanton) |
| Hattersley, Rt Hon Roy | O'Hara, Edward |
| Heppell, John | Olner, William |
| Hill, Keith (Streatham) | Orme,Rt Hon Stanley |
| Hoey, Kate | Parry, Robert |
| Hogg, Norman (Cumbernauld) | Patchett, Terry |
| Home Robertson, John | Pendry, Tom |
| Hoon, Geoffrey | Pike, Peter L. |
| Howells, Dr. Kim (Pontypridd) | Pope, Greg |
| Hoyle, Doug | Powell, Ray (Ogmore) |
| Hughes, Kevin (Doncaster N) | Prentice, Gordon (Pendle) |
| Hughes, Robert (Aberdeen N) | Purchase, Ken |
| Hughes, Roy (Newport E) | Quin, Ms Joyce |
| Hutton, John | Radice, Giles |
| Ingram, Adam | Randall, Stuart |
| Jackson, Glenda (H'stead) | Raynsford, Nick |
| Jackson, Helen (Shef'ld, H) | Rendel, David |
| Jamieson, David | Robertson, George (Hamilton) |
| Janner, Greville | Roche, Mrs. Barbara |
| Jones, Ieuan Wyn (Ynys Moôn) | Rogers, Allan |
| Jones, Jon Owen (Cardiff C) | Rooker, Jeff |
| Jones, Lynne (B'ham S O) | Ross, Ernie (Dundee W) |
| Jones, Martyn (Clwyd, SW) | Ross, william (E Londonderry) |
| Jones, Nigel (Cheltenham) | Rowlands, Ted |
| Jowell, Tessa | Ruddock, Joan |
| Kaufman, Rt Hon Gerald | Salmond, Alex |
| Keen, Alan | Sedgemore, Brain |
| Kennedy, Jane (Lpool Brdgn) | Sheerman, Barry |
| Khabra, Piara S. | Sheldon, Rt Hon Robert |
| Kilfoyle, Peter | Shore, Rt Hon Peter |
| Kinnock, Rt Hon Neil (Islwyn) | Short, Clare |
| Kirkwood, Archy | Skinner, Dennis |
| Lestor, Joan (Eccles) | Smith, Andrew (Oxford E) |
| Lewis, Terry | Smith, C. (Isl'ton S & F'sbury) |
| Livingstone, Ken | Smith, Llew (Blaenau Gwent) |
| Lloyd, Tony (Stretford) | Smyth, Rev Martin (Belfast S) |
| Llwyd, Elfyn | Soley, Clive |
| Loyden, Eddie | Spearing, Nigel |
| Lynne, Ms Liz | Spellar, John |
| McAllion, John | Steel, Rt Hon Sir David |
| McAvoy, Thomas | Steinberg, Gerry |
| Macdonald, Calum | Stevenson, George |
| McFall, John | Stott, Roger |
| McKelvey, William | Straw, Jack |
| Mackinlay, Andrew | Taylor, Mrs Ann (Dewsbury) |
| McLeish, Henry | Taylor, Matthew (Truro) |
| Maclennan, Robert | Trimble, David |
| McMaster, Gordon | Turner, Dennis |
| McNamara, Kevin | Tyler, Paul |
| McWilliam, John | Vaz, Keith |
| Madden, Max | Walker, A. Cecil (Belfast N) |
| Maddock, Mrs Diana | Walker, Rt Hon Sir Harold |
| Mahon, Alice | Wallace, James |
| Mandelson, Peter | Walley, Joan |
| Marek, Dr John | Wardell, Gareth (Gower) |
| Marshall, David (Shettleston) | Wareing, Robert N |
| Marshall, Jim (Leicester, S) | Watson, Mike |
| Martin, Michael J. (Springburn) | Welsh, Andrew |
| Martlew, Eric | Wicks, Malcolm |
| Maxton, John | Wigley, Dafydd |
| Meale, Alan | Williams, Rt Hon Alan (Sw'n W) |
| Michael, Alun | Williams, Alan W (Carmarthen) |
| Michie, Bill (Sheffield Heeley) | Wilson, Brian |
| Michie, Mrs Ray (Argyll Bute) | Winnick, David |
| Milburn, Alan | Wise, Audrey |
| Miller, Andrew | Worthington, Tony |
| Mitchell, Austin (Gt Grimsby) | Wray, Jimmy |
| Molyneaux, Rt Hon James | Wright, Dr Tony |
| Moonie, Dr Lewis | Young, David (Bolton SE) |
| Morgan, Rhodri | |
| Morley, Elliot | Tellers for the Ayes: |
| Morris, Rt Hon A. (Wy'nshawe) | Mr. Eric Illsley and |
| Morris, Estelle (B'ham Yardley) | Mr. John Gunnell. |
| Mowlam, Marjorie |
| NOES | |
| Ainsworth, Peter (East Surrey) | Evans, Roger (Monmouth) |
| Aitken, Jonathan | Evennett, David |
| Alison, Rt Hon Michael (Selby) | Faber, David |
| Allason, Rupert (Torbay) | Fabricant, Michael |
| Amess, David | Fairbairn, Sir Nicholas |
| Arbuthnot, James | Field, Barry (Isle of Wight) |
| Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham) | Fishburn, Dudley |
| Ashby, David | Forman, Nigel |
| Aspinwall, Jack | Forsyth, Michael (Stirling) |
| Atkins, Robert | Forth, Eric |
| Atkinson, David (Bour'mouth E) | Fowler, Rt Hon Sir Norman |
| Atkinson, Peter (Hexham) | Fox, Dr Liam (Woodspring) |
| Baker, Rt Hon K. (Mole Valley) | Fox, Sir Marcus (Shipley) |
| Baker, Nicholas Dorset North) | Freeman, Rt Hon Roger |
| Baldry, Tony | French, Douglas |
| Banks, Matthwe (Southport) | Gale, Roger |
| Banks, Robert (Harrogate) | Gallie, Phil |
| Bates, Michael | Gardiner, Sir George |
| Batiste, Spencer | Garel-Jones, Rt Hon Tristan |
| Bellingham, Henry | Garnier, Edward |
| Bendall, Vivian | Gill, Christopher |
| Beresford, Sir Paul | Gillen, Cheryl |
| Biffen, Rt Hon John | Goodlad, Rt Hon Alastair |
| Blackburn, Dr John G. | Goodson-Wickes, Dr Charles |
| Body, Sir Richard | Gorman, Mrs Teresa |
| Bonsor, Sir Nicholas | Gorst, John |
| Booth, Hartley | Grant, Sir A. (Cambs SW) |
| Boswell, Tim | Greenway, Harry (Ealing N) |
| Bottomley, Peter (Eltham) | Greenway, John (Ryedale) |
| Bottomley, Rt Hon Virginia | Griffiths, Peter (Portsmouth, N) |
| Bowden, Andrew | Grylls, Sir Michael |
| Bowis, John | Gummer, Rt Hon John Selwyn |
| Boyson, Rt Hon Sir Rhodes | Hague, William |
| Brandreth, Gyles | Hamilton, Rt Hon Sir Archie |
| Brazier, Julian | Hamilton, Neil (Tatton) |
| Bright, Graham | Hampson, Dr Keith |
| Brooke, Rt Hon Peter | Hanley, Jeremy |
| Brown, M. (Brigg & Cl'thorpes) | Hannam, Sir John |
| Browning, Mrs. Angela | Hargreaves, Andrew |
| Bruce, Ian (S Dorset) | Harris, David |
| Burns, Simon | Haselhurst, Alan |
| Burt, Alistair | Hawkins, Nick |
| Carlisle, John (Luton North) | Hayes, Jerry |
| Carlisle, Kenneth (Lincoln) | Heald, Oliver |
| Carrington, Matthew | Heathcoat-Amory, David |
| Carttiss, Michael | Hendry, Charles |
| Cash, William | Heseltine, Rt Hon Michael |
| Chapman, Sydney | Hicks, Robert |
| Clappison, James | Higgins, Rt Hon Sir Terence L. |
| Clark, Dr Michael (Rochford) | Hill, James (Southampton Test) |
| Clarke, Rt Hon Kenneth (Ruclif) | Hogg, Rt Hon Douglas (G'tham) |
| Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey | Horam, John |
| Colvin, Michael | Hordern, Rt Hon Sir Peter |
| Congdon, David | Howard, Rt Hon Michael |
| Conway, Derek | Howarth, Alan (Strat'rd-on-A) |
| Coombs, Simon (Swindon) | Howell, Rt Hon David (G'dford) |
| Cope, Rt Hon Sir John | Hughes Robert G. (Harrow W) |
| Couchman, James | Hunt, Rt Hon David (Wirral W) |
| Cran, James | Hunter, Andrew |
| Currie, Mrs Edwina (S D'by'ire) | Hurd, Rt Hon Douglas |
| Curry, David (Skipton & Ripon) | Jack, Michael |
| Davies, Quentin (Stamford) | Jenkin, Bernard |
| Davis, David (Boothferry) | Jessel, Toby |
| Day, Stephen | Johnson Smith, Sir Geoffrey |
| Deva, Nirj Joseph | Jones, Gwilym (Cardiff N) |
| Dickens, Geoffrey | Jones, Robert B. (W Hertfdshr) |
| Dorrell, Stephen | Jopling, Rt Hon Michael |
| Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James | Kellett-Bowman, Dame Elaine |
| Dover, Den | Key, Robert |
| Duncan, Alan | King, Rt Hon Tom |
| Duncan-Smith, Iain | Knapman, Roger |
| Dunn, Bob | Knight, Mrs Angela (Erewash) |
| Dykes, Hugh | Knight, Greg (Derby N) |
| Eggar, Tim | Knight, Dame Jill (Bir'm E'st'n) |
| Elletson, Harold | Knox, Sir David |
| Emery, Rt Hon Sir Peter | Kynoch, George (Kincardine) |
| Evans, David (Welwyn Hatfield) | Lait, Mrs Jacqui |
| Evans, Jonathan (Brecon) | Lang, Rt Hon Ian |
| Evans, Nigel (Ribble Valley) | Lawrence, Sir Ivan |
| Legg, Barry | Roe, Mrs Marion (Broxbourne) |
| Leigh, Edward | Rumbold, Rt Hon Dame Angela |
| Lennox-Boyd, Mark | Ryder, Rt Hon Richard |
| Lester, Jim (Broxtowe) | Sackville, Tom |
| Lidington, David | Scott, Rt Hon Nicholas |
| Lightbown, David | Shaw, David (Dover) |
| Lilley, Rt Hon Peter | Shaw, Sir Giles (Pudsey) |
| Lloyd, Rt Hon Peter (Fareham) | Shepherd, Richard (Aldridge) |
| Lord, Michael | Shersby, Michael |
| Luff, Peter | Skeet, Sir Trevor |
| Lyell, Rt Hon Sir Nicholas | Speed, Sir Keith |
| MacGregor, Rt Hon John | Spicer, Sir James (W Dorset) |
| MacKay, Andrew | Spicer, Michael (S Worcs) |
| Maclean, David | Spink, Dr Robert |
| McLoughlin, Patrick | Spring, Richard |
| McNair-Wilson, Sir Patrick | Sproat, Iain |
| Madel, Sir David | Squire, Robin (Hornchurch) |
| Maitland, Lady Olga | Stanley, Rt Hon Sir John |
| Major, Rt Hon John | Steen, Anthony |
| Malone, Gerald | Stephen, Michael |
| Mans, Keith | Stewart, Allan |
| Marland, Paul | Streeter, Gary |
| Marlow, Tony | Sumberg, David |
| Marshall, John (Hendon S) | Sweeney, Walter |
| Martin, David (Portsmouth S) | Sykes, John |
| Mates, Michael | Tapsell, Sir Peter |
| Merchant, Piers | Taylor, Ian (Esher) |
| Mills, Iain | Taylor, Sir Teddy (Southend, E) |
| Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling) | Temple-Morris, Peter |
| Mitchell, Sir David (Hants NW) | Thomason, Roy |
| Moate, Sir Roger | Thompson, Sir Donald (C'er V) |
| Monro, Sir Hector | Thornton, Sir Malcolm |
| Montgomery, Sir Fergus | Thurnham, Peter |
| Moss, Malcolm | Townsend, Cyril D. (Bexl'yh'th) |
| Needham, Richard | Tracey, Richard |
| Nelson, Anthony | Tredinnick, David |
| Neubert, Sir Michael | Trend, Michael |
| Newton, Rt Hon Tony | Trotter, Neville |
| Nicholls, Patrick | Twinn, Dr Ian |
| Nicholson, David (Taunton) | Vaughan, Sir Gerard |
| Nicholson, Emma (Devon West) | Viggers, Peter |
| Norris, Steve | Waldegrave, Rt Hon William |
| Onslow, Rt Hon Sir Cranley | Walker, Bill (N Tayside) |
| Oppenheim, Phillip | Waller, Gary |
| Ottaway, Richard | Wardle, Charles (Bexhill) |
| Page, Richard | Waterson, Nigel |
| Paice, James | Watts, John |
| Patnick, Irvine | Wells, Bowen |
| Patten, Rt Hon John | Whitney, Ray |
| Pattie, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey | Whittingdale, John |
| Pawsey, James | Widdecombe, Ann |
| Peacock, Mrs Elizabeth | Wiggin, Sir Jerry |
| Pickles, Eric | Wilkinson, John |
| Porter, Barry (Wirral S) | Willetts, David |
| Porter, David (Waveney) | Wilshire, David |
| Portillo, Rt Hon Michael | Winterton, Mrs Ann (Congleton) |
| Redwood, Rt Hon John | Winterton, Nicholas (Macc'fld) |
| Renton, Rt Hon Tim | Yeo, Tim |
| Richards, Rod | Young, Rt Hon Sir George |
| Riddick, Graham | |
| Robathan, Andrew | Tellers for the Noes: |
| Roberts, Rt Hon Sir Wyn | Mr. Timothy Wood and |
| Robertson, Raymond (Ab'd'n S) | Mr. Timothy Kirkhope. |
| Robinson, Mark (Somerton) |
§ Question accordingly negatived.