The Week in Westminster: July 1st – July 5th
By Phoebe Cooke
After the battering of the spending review, the finance bill dominates the Commons' agenda early this week. Oral questions on Wales preceed PMQs on Wednesday, whilst one of the Tory camper MPs, Peter Bone, discusses the second reading of the Margaret Thatcher Day bill on Friday, an interesting contrast to the debate on costs and benefits of EU membership on the same day. Philip Rutnam, permanent secretary for the Department for Transport attends the HS2 public accounts select committee with HS2 directors on Monday; whilst the next day in foreign affairs UK's policy towards China is to be examined in a Tuesday select committee.
Lord Soley discusses the Leveson report and meetings between the PM or other ministers and editors in the upper house on Monday. On the same day Baroness Warsi raises the increasingly tense Syria situation. Welfare is on the agenda too, with Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer discussing the criteria for issuing food vouchers by JobCentre Plus branches for use at food banks. Wednesday features a discussion on ways to clamp down on levels of homelessness, and on Thursday Baroness Shephard of Northwold and Lord Nash contemplate the preparation of young people for the world of work.
House of Commons
Monday July 1st
Oral Questions (2.30pm) – Work and Pensions, including Topical Questions
Motion – To approve a Ways and Means resolution relating to the Finance Bill
Legislation – Finance Bill – Report stage
Adjournment – Effects of reductions in EU funding in Rotherham and Barnsley – John Healey
Tuesday July 2nd
Oral Questions (11.30am) – Justice, including Topical Questions
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Letting Agents (Competition, Choice and Standards) – John Healey
Legislation – Finance Bill – Report stage
Legislation – Finance Bill – Third reading
Adjournment – Provision of HPV vaccine – Mike Freer
Wednesday July 3rd
Oral Questions (11.30am) – Wales
Prime Minister's Question Time (12pm)
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Drink Driving (Repeat Offenders) – Rehman Chishti
Debate – Estimates day (1st allotted day) – (i) Public expenditure and health care services (ii) Rail 2020
Adjournment – Effects of benefit changes and food banks in County Durham – Phil Wilson
Thursday July 4th
Oral Questions (9.30am) – Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, including Topical Questions; Church Commissioners, Public Accounts Commission and the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission
Business Statement – Leader of the House
Business – Proceedings on the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Bill
Backbench Business – (i) NATO (ii) Use of corporate structures in the UK and money laundering, tax evasion and other financial crime (iii) Economic implications for the UK of an EU – US trade and investment agreement
Adjournment – Future of St Raphael's Hospice, North Cheam and the role of the Holy See – Paul Burstow
Friday July 5th
Legislation (9.30am) – European Union (Referendum) Bill – Second reading – James Wharton
Legislation – Margaret Thatcher Day Bill – Second reading – Mr Peter Bone
Legislation – EU Membership (Audit of Costs and Benefits) Bill – Second reading – Mr Christopher Chope
Legislation – Specialist Printing Equipment and Materials (Offences) Bill – Second reading – Charlie Elphicke
Adjournment – Support for young fathers – Mr David Lammy
House of Lords
Monday July 1st
Oral Questions (2.30pm)
Leveson Report and meetings between the Prime Minister or other ministers and editors, owners or senior executives of newspapers – Lord Soley
Decision regarding Justice and Home Affairs opt-outs under Protocol 36 to the EU treaties – Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
International discussions regarding the successor to Martin Kobler as UN Special Adviser in Iraq and responsibility for Camp Ashraf – Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
Improving road safety in the UK – Lord Colwyn
Debate – Situation in Syria and the Middle East – Baroness Warsi
Debate – EU Committee on the UK Opt in to the Europol Regulation – Lord Hannay of Chiswick/Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Tuesday 2nd July
Oral Questions (2.30pm)
Criteria for the issuing of food vouchers by Jobcentre Plus branches for use at food banks – Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
PM's discussions about economic growth in the Eurozone and UK at the G8 Summit – Lord Barnett
Impact of the under-occupancy charge on properties with spare bedrooms – Lord Greaves
Legislation – Children and Families Bill – Second reading – Lord Nash
Wednesday 3rd July
Oral Questions (3pm)
Encouraging greater economic and political co-operation between Georgia and the EU – The Lord Bishop of Wakefield
Measures to ensure that homelessness does not increase – Baroness Quin
Quality of healthcare available to diabetics with eye problems – Lord Harrison
Legislation – Care Bill [HL] – Committee of the whole House (Day 4) – Earl Howe
Short Debate – London Finance Commission report 'Raising the Capital' – Lord Harris of Haringey/Baroness Hanham
Thursday July 4th
Oral Questions (11am)
Impact on the well-being of foreign domestic workers of the introduction in April 2012 of the one-employer visa regime – Lord Hylton
Effect of the Comprehensive Spending Review on the delivery of devolved services in Wales – Lord Wigley
Ensuring that women are represented on the Advisory Board of Public Health England – Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
Debate – Preparing young people for the world of work – Baroness Shephard of Northwold/Lord Nash
Debate – Effective immigration controls and the interests of the security of the UK – Lord Marlesford/Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Short Debate – Social and economic impact on families of recent changes to immigration rules – Baroness Hamwee/Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Friday July 5th
Legislation (10am) – Extension of Franchise (House of Lords) Bill [HL] – Second reading – Lord Dubs
Legislation – Cultural and Community Distribution Deregulation Bill [HL] – Second reading – Lord Clement-Jones
Pick of Select Committees
Monday July 1st
3.15pm
Public Accounts
Subject: High Speed 2
Witness(es): Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport, David Prout, Director General, HS2 and Alison Munro, Chief Executive, HS2 Ltd
Location: The Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House
4.05pm
Transport
Subject: Access to ports
Witness(es): Richard Bird, Executive Director, UK Major Ports Group, Jim Stewart, Chairman, British Ports Association, and Chief Executive Officer, Poole Harbour Commissioners, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer, Hutchison Ports (UK) and Warren Marshall, Group Head of Port Planning, Peel Ports; Chris Welsh, Director of Global and European Policy, Freight Transport Association, Adam Cunliffe, Managing Director, Freightliner, Lindsay Durham, Head of Rail Strategy, Freightliner and John Smith, Managing Director, GB Railfreight; Richard Blyth, Head of Policy Practice and Research, Royal Town Planning Institute, Mark Basnett, Executive Director, Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Mike Ibbotson, Transport Policy Manager, Hull City Council, Richard Meeks, Network Development Manager, London Rail, Transport for London and George Kieffer, Chairman, Haven Gateway Partnership
Location: The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday July 2nd
9.30am
Business, Innovation and Skills
Subject: UK Retail Sector
Witness(es): Alliance Boots, John Lewis Partnership and Marks and Spencer plc; Co-operative Group, Sainsburys and Tesco; GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership, British Property Federation, Centre for Retail Research and TalkTalk
Location: Room 6, Palace of Westminster
10am
Treasury
Subject: Bank of England June 2013 Financial Stability Report
Witness(es): Paul Tucker, Deputy Governor, Financial Stability, Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, Deputy Governor, Prudential Regulation, Bank of England, Dr Donald Kohn, external member, Financial Policy Committee and Martin Taylor, external member, Financial Policy Committee
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
2.30pm
Foreign Affairs
Subject: UK policy towards China
Witness(es): Professor Shaun Breslin, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick and Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the China Policy Institute, University of Nottingham; Nigel Inkster, Director, Transnational Threats and Political Risk, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Location: Room 8, Palace of Westminster
10.30am
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Subject: Mental Capacity Act 2005
Witness(es): (at 10.35 am) evidence will be heard from Toby Williamson (Head of Development and Later Life, Mental Health Foundation) , Sue Brown (Head of Public Policy, Sense); and at 11.25 am from Dr Pauline Heslop BSc, PhD (Senior Research Fellow, University of Bristol), Dr Margaret Flynn (Independent Consultant and former Chair of the serious case review into Winterbourne View)
Location: Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster
10.30am
Science and Technology
Subject: Scientific Infrastructure
Witness(es): evidence will be heard (at 10.40am) evidence will be heard from:Professor Andrew Harrison, Director, Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL); Professor Steven Cowley, Chief Executive Officer, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and Head of EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association; and Professor Tejinder Virdee, Department of Physics, Imperial College London and approximately at 11.40am evidence from:Dr Fiona Marshall, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Heptares and Mr Sean McGovern, Business Director, Support, BAE Systems
Location: Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster
2.30pm
Health
Subject: Implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
Witness(es): Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State, Una O'Brien, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive, NHS England
Location: The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
3.15pm
Energy and Climate Change
Subject: Review of DECC Policy
Witness(es): Ed Davey, Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Stephen Lovegrove, Permanent Secretary, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Simon Virley, Director General, Energy Markets and Infrastructure Group and Phil Wynnowen, Director General of the International Climate change and Energy Efficiency Group
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Wednesday July 3rd
9.30am
Education
Subject: School Partnerships and Cooperation
Witness(es): Professor David Woods, CBE, former Principal National Challenge Adviser for England, Professor Sir George Berwick, Challenge Partners, Sean Harford, Ofsted and Kirston Nelson, Wigan Council; Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools and Andrew McCully, Director General, Infrastructure and Funding, Department for Education
Location: The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
9.30am
Justice
Subject: Price Competitive Tendering Proposals in the Government's Transforming Legal Aid Consultation
Witness(es): Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Location: The Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House
2.45pm
Environmental Audit
Subject: Progress on Carbon Budgets
Witness(es): David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change
Location: Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Thursday July 4th
10am
Political and Constitutional Reform
Subject: House of Lords reform: what next?
Witness(es): David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments; Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Wirral, PC MBE, Rt Hon Lord Richard QC and Lord Cormack
Location: The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
10.30am
European Scrutiny
Subject: European Scrutiny system in the House of Commons
Witness(es): Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Location: The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
