Point of Order

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You will recall the urgent question that Mr Speaker kindly granted to the hon. Member for Worthing West (Sir Peter Bottomley) last week, so I regret to inform you that Bahrain’s highest court has today, via Instagram, announced confirmation of the death sentences against Mohammed Ramadhan and Hussain Moosa, who were tortured. That is utterly unacceptable, and the risk that these sentences will be carried out is imminent. Not least given the UK’s direct support for the agencies implicated in the torture and forced confession of these men, and the fact that the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, the right hon. Member for Braintree (James Cleverly), said that he would speak “publicly and loudly” if the death sentences were confirmed today, have you had any notice of a statement from the Foreign Office on what it now plans to do? That might include raising this at the highest levels, including with the King, to urge clemency.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of this point of order about what is clearly a very distressing matter. I have not received notice of an oral statement on it, but I am sure that his request and his plea for action will have been heard by the Ministers on the Treasury Bench and will be passed back to appropriate Ministers.

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Bill

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 56), That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Question put forthwith, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (Temporary Relief) Bill: Business of the house

That the following provisions shall apply to the proceedings on the Motion for Resolution ‘Stamp duty land tax (temporary relief)’ and to proceedings on any Bill brought in upon the Resolution:

(1) (a) Proceedings on the Motion for Resolution ‘Stamp duty land tax (temporary relief)’, proceedings on presentation and first reading of any Bill brought in upon the Resolution, proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings on Third Reading shall be taken at today’s sitting in accordance with this Order.

(b) Notices of Amendments, new Clauses or new Schedules to be moved in Committee of the whole House may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before the Bill has been read a second time.

(c) Proceedings on the Motion for the Resolution shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) two hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion for this Order.