Week in Westminster: July 8th – 12th
By Phoebe Cooke
Paul Blomfield's high cost credit bill follows the heady trials around today's much-publicised EU referendum bill, and is the second from the private members ballot to be discussed in the Commons next Friday. Osborne's initial revelations may be behind us, but the spending review remains a hot topic and will be debated in a select committee on Tuesday with treasury secretary Danny Alexander in attendance.
After this week's searing exchanges (and several Unite/McCluskey jibes too many) we look forward to one of the last PMQs before the recess, this Wednesday at 12pm. Also on Wednesday, Conservative MP Peter Bone, whose "loopy ideas" Nick Clegg recently distanced himself from, will be putting forward a ten minute rule motion on slavery.
Meanwhile the marriage (same sex couples) bill undergoes its long journey through parliament, finding itself at the report stage in the House of Lords on Monday. Former PM Gordon Brown adjourns Tuesday's session with the Dalgety Bay radiation case, for which the Ministry of Defence has been found solely responsible, and on Thursday in the Upper House Lord Storey and Baroness Northover consider the impact of music on tourism.
House of Commons
Monday July 8th
Oral Questions (2.30pm) – Communities and Local Government, including Topical Questions
Legislation – Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill – Report stage
Adjournment – Access to care services in Bradford – Mr David Ward
Tuesday July 9th
Oral Questions (11.30am) – Deputy Prime Minister, including Topical Questions; Attorney General
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Planning Regulations (removal of provisions in respect of Gypsies and Travellers) – Mr Philip Hollobone
Legislation – Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill – Report stage (Day 2)
Legislation – Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill – Third reading
Legislation – Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill – Committee of the whole House
Adjournment – Dalgety Bay radiation – Mr Gordon Brown
Wednesday July 10th
Oral Questions (11.30am) – Northern Ireland
Prime Minister's Question Time (12pm)
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Slavery – Mr Peter Bone
Debate – Opposition Day (5th allotted day) (Half day) – The effect of Government Policies on Disabled People
Motion – To approve a Statutory instrument relating to terrorism
Private Business – (i) London Local Authorities and Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords]: Consideration Stage (ii) Hertfordshire County Council (Filming on Highways) Bill [Lords]: Second Reading
Adjournment – Exemption of prescription charges for people with long-term conditions – Sir Bob Russell
Thursday July 11th
Oral Questions (9.30am) – Energy and Climate Change, including Topical Questions
Business Statement – Leader of the House
Backbench Business – (i) Parliamentary Consent to Arming Anti-Government Forces in Syria (ii) 25th Anniversary of the Piper Alpha Disaster Adjournment
Planning guidance for children's homes – Ann Coffey
Friday 12 July 2013
Legislation (9.30am) – High Cost Credit Bill – Second reading – Paul Blomfield
Legislation – Child Maltreatment Bill: Presentation Bill – Second reading – Mr Mark Williams
Legislation – Education (Information Sharing) Bill – Second reading – Andrew Selous
Legislation – Sexual Impropriety in Employment Bill – Second reading – Mr Christopher Chope
Legislation – House of Lords (Maximum Membership) Bill – Second reading – Mr Christopher Chope
Adjournment – Young drivers and road safety – Stephen Phillips
House of Lords
Monday 8 July 2013
Oral Questions (2.30pm) – Age restrictions applied to the sale of video games and safeguarding children against inappropriate materials – Baroness Massey of Darwen
Organisations and individuals challenging proposed changes to sex education – Baroness Gould of Potternewton
Progress made in eliminating Japanese knotweed in the UK – Baroness Sharples
Impact on the not-for-profit sector of Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 – Lord Bach
Legislation – Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill – Report stage – Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Orders and Regulations – Draft Added Tribunals (Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal) Order 2013; Draft Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013; Motion to regret – Lord McNally/Lord Beecham
Tuesday July 9th
Oral Questions (2.30pm) – Impact on Council Tax arrears of the reduction in Council Tax benefit and the localisation of support for those in need – Lord Woolmer of Leeds
Whether the review of Trident will include the issue of non-proliferation – Lord Lea of Crondall
Report by Amnesty International 'We had no time to bury him: War crimes in Sudan’s Blue Nile State' – Lord Alton of Liverpool
Legislation – Offender Rehabilitation Bill [HL] – Third reading – Lord McNally
Legislation – Care Bill [HL] – Committee of the whole House (Day 5) – Earl Howe
Wednesday July 10th
Oral Questions (3pm) – Making apprenticeships accessible to dyslexic people – Lord Addington
Ensuring the proposed international peace conference on the Syrian conflict takes place in the near future – Lord Wood of Anfield
Publishing response to the consultation on the introduction of a minimum unit price for alcohol – Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe
Legislation – Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill – Report stage (Day 2) – Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Short Debate – Government archives and official histories – Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank/Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Thursday July 11th
Oral Questions (11am) – Final all-party agreement on proposals for a Royal Charter on the supervision of ethical standards in the UK press – Lord Dykes
Ensuring those suffering from anorexia and bulimia nervosa are receiving the most appropriate care – Baroness Howells of St Davids
Changes in the training of junior doctors in the long-term effects of prescribing drugs and addiction and withdrawal services – The Earl of Sandwich
Debate – Future funding of health and social care in England – Lord Patel/Earl Howe
Debate – Effect of cuts in legal aid funding on the justice system in England and Wales – Baroness Deech/Lord McNally
Orders and Regulations – Draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 – Baroness Hanham
Short Debate – Impact of music on tourism – Lord Storey/Baroness Northover
Friday July 12th
The House will not be sitting.
Pick of select committees
Monday July 8th
4pm
Soft Power and the UK's Influence
Subject: Soft Power and the UK's Influence
Witness(es): (at 4.20pm) evidence will be heard from Nicholas Beadle CMG, Senior Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI),Lt General Simon Mayall CB, Defence Senior Adviser for Middle East, Ministry of Defence and Steve McCarthy – Director of International Security Policy, Ministry of Defence
Location: Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 9th July
9.30am
Public Administration
Subject: Work of the Cabinet Office
Witness(es): Richard Heaton CB, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office
Location: Room 15, Palace of Westminster
10am
Treasury
Subject: Spending Round 2013
Witness(es): Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Gemma Tetlow, Programme Director, Pensions, Saving and Public Finances, Institute for Fiscal Studies; John Cridland CBE, Director General, CBI, Professor Doug McWilliams, founder of the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Nicola Smith, Head of Economic and Social Affairs Department, Trades Union Congress; Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
10.30am
Culture, Media and Sport
Subject: The work of Ofcom
Witness(es): Colette Bowe, Chair, Ofcom and Ed Richards, Chief Executive, Ofcom
Location: Room 16, Palace of Westminster
2.30pm
Foreign Affairs
Subject: The FCO's human rights work in 2012
Witness(es): Nigel Fry, Head of Distribution, BBC Global News; Rt Hon Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
2.50pm
Environmental Audit
Subject: Sustainability in the UK Overseas Territories
Witness(es): Mark Simmonds MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Richard Benyon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Dr Peter Hayes, Director Overseas Territories, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Jeremy Eppel, Deputy Director, International Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Evidence, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Ian McKendry, Deputy Director for the Overseas Territories and the Caribbean, Department for International Development
Location: Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 10 July 2013
9.15am
Science and Technology
Subject: Work of the European and UK Space Agencies
Witness(es): David Parker, Chief Executive, UK Space Agency, Catherine Mealing-Jones, Director Growth, Applications & EU Programmes, UK Space Agency and Rob Douglas, Chair, UK Space Agency Steering Board; Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and David Parker, Chief Executive, UK Space Agency
Location: Room 16, Palace of Westminster
9.30am
Welsh Affairs
Subject: Responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Wales
Witness(es): Rt Hon David Jones MP, Secretary of State for Wales and Glynne Jones, Director, Wales Office
Location: Room 15, Palace of Westminster
10am
Environmental Audit
Subject: Energy Subsidies in the UK
Witness(es): Professor Paul Ekins, University College London
Location: Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Thursday 11 July 2013
9.45am
Public Administration
Subject: Appointment of the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
Witness(es): Preferred candidate
Location: Room 15, Palace of Westminster
10am
Treasury
Subject: Spending Round 2013
Witness(es): Rt Hon George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, HM Treasury
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
11am
Welsh Affairs
Subject: Work of the Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales
Witness(es): Ian Johnston QPM, Police and Crime Commissioner, Gwent, Christopher Salmon, Police and Crime Commissioner, Dyfed Powys, Winston Roddick CB QC, Police and Crime Commissioner, North Wales and Sophie Howe, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
Location: Committee Rm 4, Ty Hywel, National Assembly for Wales
