The week in Westminster: September 13th – 17th
The second half of the unusual pre-conference fortnight is seeing select committee chairs go to town.
This week sees a plethora of witnesses appearing before the newly-formed committees, as elected chairs fresh from the summer break seek to make their mark early on.
In addition to appearances by no less than four Cabinet ministers we can look forward to Sharon Shoesmith (fired over Baby P), controversial Lord Myners (we can expect him to criticise the Labour administration in which he served) and the Electoral Commission (who could express concerns about the coalition’s reform proposals).
COMMONS
Monday
Questions – defence
Legislation – fixed-term parliaments bill
Adjournment debate – planning regulations on urban supermarkets and convenience stores
Tuesday
Questions – Foreign Office
Ten minute rule motion – apprenticeships and skills (public procurement contracts)
Legislation – Equitable Life (payments) bill
Motion – relating to House of Commons Commission
Adjournment debate – employment prospects for young people in Wirral
Wednesday
Questions – Northern Ireland
PMQs
Ten minute rule motion – financial services (regulation of deposits and lending)
Motion – to approve ways and means resolutions on which a finance bill is introduced
Legislation – identity documents bill
Adjournment debate – Uk’s military aviation industry
Thursday
Questions – energy and climate change
Business statement – leader of the House
Backbench business – a debate on the Strategic Defence and Security Review and future of the UK’s Armed Forces
Adjournment debate – youth violence in London
LORDS
Parliament’s upper House isn’t sitting this week.
PICK OF THE COMMITTEES
Monday
16:40 – Communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles, before communities and local government committee, on: The work of the Department for Communities and Local Government
Tuesday
09:40 – Former City minister Lord Myners, before Treasury committee, on: financial regulation
10:00 – Electoral Commission chair and chief executive Jenny Watson and Peter Wardle, before political and constitutional reform, on: Government proposals for voting and parliamentary reform
12:00 – Foreign secretary William Hague, before public accounts committee, on: Who does UK Grand Strategy?
Wednesday
09:30 – Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, before work and pensions committee, on: Work of the Department for Work and Pensions
09:30 – Former director of children’s services at Haringey council Sharon Shoesmith, before education committee, on: child safeguarding
09:45 – Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne, before energy and climate change committee, on: The work of the Department of Energy and Climate Change
Thursday
10:00 – Political and constitutional reform minister Mark Harper, before political and constitutional reform committee, on: Government proposals for voting and parliamentary reform
