The week in Westminster: November 15th – 19th
David Cameron faces a two-hour grilling from MPs on Thursday, in what will be the culmination of a busy week in the select committee corridor.
Foreign secretary William Hague, environment secretary Caroline Spelman and the new top man in Britain’s military, General Sir David Richards, are appearing earlier in the week.
But it’s Thursday when the main event takes place, as the new prime minister gets used to the intense scrutiny from the Commons’ select committee chairs in his first encounter with them.
COMMONS
Monday
Questions – education
Statement – G20 – prime minister
Legislation – terrorist asset-freezing
Adjournment debate – preservation of Sutherland Point
Tuesday
Questions – Treasury
Ten minute rule motion – employment retention
Legislation – fixed-term parliaments bill
Adjournment debate – Scotland Office policy on proposals to move away from Greenwich Mean Time
Wednesday
Questions – international development
PMQs
Ten minute rule motion – onshore wind turbines (proximity of habitation)
Opposition day debate – health, education
Motion – To approve the draft Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 and the draft Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2010
Adjournment debate – decision making on ward closures
Thursday
Questions – business, innovation and skills
Business statement – leader of the House
Backbench business – immigration
Adjournment debate – deep water drilling off the west coast of Shetland
Friday
Private members’ bills – public services (social enterprise and social value) bill, first safety (protection of tenants) bill
LORDS
Monday
Introduction – Professor Sheila Hollins
Questions – court closures, educational psychology, healthcare costs, services to private medical insurance subscribers
Legislation – parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Tuesday
Questions – deaths of women in custody, bovine TB, Department of Health’s quangos
Debate – on the Interim Report from the Leader’s Group on Members leaving the House
Wednesday
Questions – National Clinical Strategy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, prebiotics against c.difficile, Tajikistan
Legislation – contaminated blood (support for infected and bereaved persons) bill
Legislation – identity documents bill
Orders and regulations – Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (No. 2) Regulations 2010
Thursday
Questions – issuing visas for Iraqi nationals, lorry road user charging, EU-Russia pact
Debate – common agricultural policy
Debate – role of active citizenship in society
Debate – work of the Council of Europe
PICK OF THE COMMITTEES
Monday
14:15 – foreign secretary William Hague, before foreign affairs committee, on: The UK’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan
Tuesday
11:30 – environment, food and rural affairs secretary Caroline Spelman, before environment, food and rural affairs committee, on: Comprehensive Spending Review
14:15 – justice secretary Kenneth Clarke, before justice committee, on: The Government’s Human Rights Policy
Wednesday
10:30 – chief of the defence staff General Sir David Richards, before defence committee, on: The appointment of the new Chief of the Defence Staff
Thursday
14:00 – prime minister David Cameron, before liaison committee, on: Oral Evidence from the Prime Minister
