The week in Westminster: November 1st to November 5th
The spending review is set to dominate proceedings in a busy week for committees in parliament.
The week begins with a monster session for the Treasury committee, with a bevy of experts trooping into Westminster to give their take on the chancellor’s decisions.
On Wednesday chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander will defend the Lib Dem perspective, before George Osborne answers questions on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile the Commons is likely to be dominated by controversy early on as the parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill rumbles through its report stage.
COMMONS
Monday
Questions – Home Office
Statement on European Council – David Cameron
Legislation – parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Adjournment debate – options for maintenance of Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers
Tuesday
Questions – health
Ten minute rule motion – cheques
Legislation – parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Adjournment debate – government policy on the information provided to women prior to a request for a termination
Wednesday
Questions – Wales, PMQs
Ten minute rule motion – consumer credit (regulation and advice)
Debate – report on the report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry
Adjournment debate – effect on businesses of proposed changes to employment law
Thursday
Questions – environment, food and rural affairs
Business statement – leader of the House
Debate – strategic defence and security review
Adjournment debate – Foreign and Commonwealth Office assistance for Mr Simon Robertson
LORDS
Monday
Questions – electoral fraud, bankers’ bonuses, food labelling, FCO educational allowances
Legislation – terrorist asset-freezing etc bill
Debate – 2010 spending review
Tuesday
Questions – role of the state, fiscal and monetary policy, proprietary technology
Debate – future energy policy
Wednesday
Questions – Defra and Rural Payments Agency, Middle East refugees, SMEs vs large companies
Thursday
Questions – elected police commissioners, drink-driving, Palestinian MPs
Debate – housing need and provision
Debate – maintaining plurality of media ownership in UK
Short debate – diabetes UK report
PICK OF THE COMMITTEES
Monday
09:45 – CIP chief economist John Philpott, TUC chief economist Adam Lent, CBI chief economist Ian McCafferty, National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr and others, before Treasury committee, on: Comprehensive spending review
Wednesday
09:30 – Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, before public administration select committee, on: Smaller Government: Shrinking the Quango State
09:30 – welfare reform minister David Freud, before work and pensions committee, on: changes to Housing Benefit announced in the June 2010 Budget
14:00 – Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander, before Treasury committee, on: Comprehensive Spending Review
Thursday
09:45 – chancellor George Osborne, before Treasury committee, on: Comprehensive Spending Review
10:00 – Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell, before political and constitutional reform committee, on: Lessons from the process of government formation after the 2010 general election
