The Week in Westminster

The Week in Westminster 24th November – 28th November

The Week in Westminster 24th November – 28th November

It’s going to be hard to see past the Pre-Budget Report on Monday. For the time being all eyes are on Alistair Darling. The government has done its best to raise expectations over the course of the last month. Persistent references to tax cuts and further help “very, very soon”, as Gordon Brown put it during last week’s PMQs, mean the government now has to impress.

This administration has a track record of buildings things up without paying sufficient attention to how they might play out – think of the election that never was, for instance. But analysts are expecting surprising things from Monday’s report. The most likely result is some form of additional tax credit. If so, expect a lukewarm reaction – at best – from commentators, most of whom view credits as a sort of quasi tax cut.

Beyond Monday, in time if not subject, the banking bill hits its report stage on Wednesday, right after prime minister’s questions. With cross-party support the bill will easily pass, but watch the contributions for signs of unease or suggestions the government might later pick up.

On other matters there’s a children (protection of privacy) ten minute rule bill on Tuesday, made particularly relevant by the Baby P outrage.

On Wednesday Lord Malloch-Brown reports back to peers on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We’ll have to wait and see how much he tells his colleagues about the protest by female victims of violence he faced there this week.

Monday

Commons
2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Work and Pensions; including Topical Questions

Statement:
Pre-Budget Report – Chancellor of the Exchequer

Legislation:
Planning Bill – Lords Amendments

Adjournment:
Care farming and disadvantaged groups – Mr Mark Todd

Lords
2pm
Oral Questions:
Promoting disability equality in schools – Baroness Howe of Idlicote
International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan – Lord Morris of Aberavon
Carbon dioxide emissions – Lord Lawson of Blaby
Methane emissions from cows – Lord Tyler

Legislation:
Counter-Terrorism Bill – Commons Amendment – Lord West of Spithead

Debate:
Her Majesty’s armed forces – Baroness Taylor of Bolton

3.30pm
Short Debate:
Joint Committee on Human Rights report on Government’s response to Human Rights Judgments – Lord Lester of Herne Hill/Lord Bach
Science and Technology Committee report on Air Travel and Health – Lord Sutherland of Houndwood/Lord Tunnicliffe

General Committees

4.30pm
Room 10, Palace of Westminster
European Committee B:
Subject: EU Document No.16488/07 and Addenda 1 and 2, relating to Procurement in the fields of defence and security

4.30pm
Room 10, Palace of Westminster
European Committee B:
Subject: EU Document Nos. 12149/08 and Addenda 1 and 2, 13713/08 and Addenda 1 and 2 and 14317/08, relating to Financial Services

Tuesday

Commons

2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Transport; including Topical Questions; Women and Equality

Ten Minute Rule Bill:
Children (Protection of Privacy) – Kerry McCarthy

Legislation:
Pensions Bill – Lords Amendments
Consideration of any other Lords Amendments

Adjournment:
Subject to be announced

Lords

2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Coalition on ‘Charging into Poverty’ report – Lord Ashley of Stoke
Takeover of HBOS by Lloyds TSB – Lord Hamilton of Epsom
Teaching of Latin in schools – Lord Faulkner of Worcester

Orders and Regulations:
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2008 – Baroness Meacher/Lord West of Spithead

Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules:
Lord Avebury to move that the statement, laid before the House on 4 November, be disapproved

Westminster Hall

9.30am – 11am
Fire services in Hertfordshire – Anne Main

11am – 12.30pm
Equitable Life – Jo Swinson

12.30pm – 1pm
Information sharing by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency – James Brokenshire

1pm – 1.30pm
Administration of the education maintenance allowance – Mr Gordon Prentice

1.30pm – 2pm
Supervision of paedophiles – Mr Rob Wilson

Lords Committees

10.35am
EU Sub-Committee A: Economic and Financial Affairs, and International Trade
Subject: EU Response to the Financial Market Turbulence
Witness(es): Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, Chairman, Financial Services Authority (FSA)

11am
Science and Technology
Subject: Pandemic Influenza
Witness(es): Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State, Department of Health

1.45pm
Joint Committee on Human Rights
Subject: Police and Protest
Witness(es): Representatives of the Police Federation; the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO); and the etropolitan Police

3.35pm
Room 3a, Palace of Westminster
Merits of Statutory Instruments
Subject: Cumulative impact on Schools of Statutory Instruments
Witness(es): (a) Dr Chris Nichols, Chair, Implementation Review Unit; and (b)Ms Kathryn James, National Association of Head Teachers

Wednesday

Commons

11.30am
Oral Questions:
Wales

Prime Minister’s Question Time:

Ten Minute Rule Bill:
Children (Provision of Care) – Mark Lancaster

Legislation:
Banking Bill – Report stage
Consideration of any Lords Amendments

Adjournment:
Subject to be announced

Lords

3pm
Oral Questions:
American forces in Iraq – Lord Eden of Winton
Sri Lankan and Maldive applicants for UK visas – Lord Naseby
Future Rapid Effect System – Lord Astor of Hever

Legislation:
Energy Bill – Commons Amendment – Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Debate:
The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo – Lord Malloch-Brown

Westminster Hall

9.30am – 11am
Temporary housing – Mr Neil Gerrard

11am – 11.30am
Future of secondary education in Croxteth, Liverpool – Mr Robert N Wareing

2.30pm – 4pm
Sex education in schools – Philip Davies

4pm – 4.30pm
Effect of interest rates on mortgage holders – John Barrett

4.30pm – 5pm
Compensation for pleural plaques victims – Jim Sheridan

Thursday

Commons

10.30am
Oral Questions:
Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; Church Commissioners, Public Accounts Commission; Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

Business Statement:
Leader of the House

Legislation:
Consideration of any Lords Amendments

Adjournment:
Subject to be announced

Lords

11am
Oral Questions:
Public Sector Procurement Initiative of British pork and bacon – Lord Hoyle
Facilities for dispensing of medicines – Lord Walton of Detchant
Bluetongue vaccination coverage – Countess of Mar

Friday

Commons

The House will not be sitting.

Lords

The House will not be sitting.