WHAT HAPPENED ON 23th December 1996?

22nd December 1996

LABOUR STAYS ON COURSE FOR HUNTING BAN

Labour intends to press ahead with a free Commons vote in the next Parliament on the abolition of hunting. A spokesman for party leader Tony Blair dismissed newspaper reports that the policy was softening. And he added that there were no plans to establish a commission into hunting. Such a move would have set back a decision on hunting for some time & would have alienated Labour MPs who are calling for a ban.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

It is right & proper there is a split

in the Conservative & Labour party in Europe. It reflects the split in the country as to whether Europe should be a trading bloc or something more. The debate on the referendum to join the Common Market crossed party boundaries. The same winl happen with the referendum on the single currency. Euro-{ceptic MPs are those who voted against the Maastricht Treaty second reading ` 26 Conservatives 59 Labour. George Powell Liverpool

22nd December 1996

J R Catlin thinks we should make the

country safe for future generations by giving the police authority to search without warning any building suspected of holding firearms. Two points. Firstly the Gestapo had similar powers. Secondly police gun hadling is such that they represent a far greater danger to themselves & the public than licensed firearm owners P F Hicks Woking Surrey

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

POLICE SHOULD DISCLOSE MASON MEMBERSHIP

The Police Complaints Authority wants new measures to force officers who are Freemasons to declare their membership. The PCA made the call in submissions to the Commons Home Affairs Committee. It wants a public register of officers who are Masons backed up by a statutory responsibility of disclosure. Such a move was needed to dispel the perception that officers might put their loyalty to the Masons before their official duties the PCA said.

22nd December 1996

LABOUR STAYS ON COURSE FOR HUNTING BAN

Labour intends to press ahead with a free Commons vote in the next Parliament on the abolition of hunting. A spokesman for party leader Tony Blair dismissed newspaper reports that the policy was softening. And he added that there were no plans to establish a commission into hunting. Such a move would have set back a decision on hunting for some time & would have alienated Labour MPs who are calling for a ban.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

"I'm not self-deluding enough to think

that I am employed for what comes out of my mouth"TV presenter Anthea Turner "I am sick to death of this American- style assault on smokers & I shall continue to smoke as much as possible particularly in places where it will irritate po-faced health obsessives" Comedienne Jo Brand "It will be a wonderful thing if the House of Commons slides into chaos & impotence as a result of the breakdown of the pairing system" Writer Auberon Waugh

22nd December 1996

NITROGEN DIOXIDE 6pm Sun 22 Dec

London

	Air	Level
	Quality	(ppb)
URBAN sites
Bexley	Very Good	26
Bloomsbury	Very Good	33
Brent	Very Good	24
Camden Kerbside	Very Good	28
Earls Court	Very Good	38
Eltham	Very Good	18
Haringey Roadside - -
Hillingdon	Very Good	29
North Kensington	Very Good	27
Sutton Roadside	Very Good	30

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

NITROGEN DIOXIDE 6pm Mon 23 Dec

London

	Air	Level
	Quality	(ppb)
URBAN sites
Bexley	Very Good	20
Bloomsbury	Very Good	39
Brent	Very Good	24
Camden Kerbside	Very Good	33
Earls Court	Very Good	39
Eltham	Very Good	18
Haringey Roadside	Very Good	32
Hillingdon	Very Good	20
North Kensington	Very Good	30
Sutton Roadside	Very Good	38

22nd December 1996

COMPUTER BID TO CRACK DOWN ON MoT FRAUD

The MoT certificate procedure is to be computerised in a move to crack down on fraud the Government has announced. The private sector is being invited to establish & operate a computer network linking all 18 000 MoT testing stations to a central database. The system which would contain details about every vehicle tested under the MoT scheme could be running by 1998. At present proof a car has passed its MoT test comes in certificate form.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER WEDNESDAY Speaker Betty Boothroyd refused to be drawn into the row over MPs' pairing arrangements after Labour MP David Winnick accused the Government of having cheated in Monday's vote. THURSDAY The Government rejected a Labour demand for an independent inquiry into the "scandal" of the British Rail pension fund. Ministers came under cross-party pressure to ensure the political neutrality of the Civil Service.

22nd December 1996

TRIMBLE RULES OUT FORMAL GOLDSMITH LINK

The Ulster Unionists have struck a deal with Sir James Goldsmith's party over a referendum on Europe. Jim Nicholson the Ulster Unionists' only European MP will join the grouping of MEPs at the European parliament headed by Sir James. But UUP leader David Trimble said there will be no change in the party's voting policy at Westminster. UUP votes are crucial to the Government's survival in the Commons.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER MONDAY The Government won a crucial vote on fisheries policy after a series of concessions to potential rebels in the first test of its authority since losing its overall Commons majority. Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg said a selective cull of some 100 000 cows most at risk of BSE would now go ahead. TUESDAY The Government was defeated by seven votes as MPs voted to give courts the power to order offenders convicted of stalking to undergo counselling.

23th December 1996

LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK AT WESTMINSTER WEDNESDAY Speaker Betty Boothroyd refused to be drawn into the row over MPs' pairing arrangements after Labour MP David Winnick accused the Government of having cheated in Monday's vote. THURSDAY The Government rejected a Labour demand for an independent inquiry into the "scandal" of the British Rail pension fund. Ministers came under cross-party pressure to ensure the political neutrality of the Civil Service.