Week in Westminster January 7th – 11th
The parliamentary highlight of the week comes in the debate on welfare rises, where Laboour discovers if it can survive George Osborne's carefully laid trap. Doing so required a little early policy-making, with Ed Balls unveiling a 'tough but kind' back-to-work pledge on Friday. Tuesday's welfare benefits up-rating bill will show if Labour has the language to beat back a Tory attack on benefits and its own position.
Comedy moment of the week comes Thursday when Andrew Lansley, of NHS reform fame, answers questions on 'ensuring standards in the quality of legislation' in front of the political and constitutional reform committee. As leader of the House he's the man responsible for such things, but he's only leader of the house because he was so bad at them in the first place.
COMMONS
Monday
Oral Questions – Home Office, including Topical Questions
Legislation – Trusts (Capital and Income) Bill Bill [HL] – Report stage
Legislation – Trusts (Capital and Income) Bill Bill [HL] – Third reading
Motion – European document relating to the Commission Work Programme 2013
Debate – Reasoned opinion relating to the Draft Directive on Gender Balance on Corporate Boards
Backbench Business – Corporate tax avoidance
Adjournment – Future of Newark Hospital – Patrick Mercer
Tuesday
Oral Questions – Deputy Prime Minister, including Topical Questions; Attorney General
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Regulation of Bailiffs – Mr Jim Cunningham
Legislation – Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill – Second reading
Adjournment – Effects of reduction in funding for Newcastle upon Tyne City Council – Catherine McKinnell
Wednesday
Oral Questions – Scotland
Prime Minister's Question Time
Ten Minute Rule Motion – Children (Performances) Regulations 1968 (Amendment) – Tim Loughton
Debate – Opposition Day [13th allotted day] (i) Statutory Code of Practice for Pub Companies (ii) subject to be announced
Adjournment – Speed limits in rural Lincolnshire – Stephen Phillips
Thursday
Oral Questions – Culture, Media and Sport, including Topical Questions; Women and Equalities
Business Statement – Leader of the House
Backbench Business – Dementia
Adjournment – Educational support for children with cancer – Mark Tami
LORDS
Monday
The House of Lords is in recess.
Tuesday
Oral Questions – Average percentage of total capacity used at London’s commercial airports over the past six months – Lord Spicer
Building more homes in the south east of England – Lord Sheldon
Government plans in respect of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2012 which the House declined to approve on 3 December – Lord Bach
Effect of the ‘fiscal cliff’ solution in the US on the UK economy – Lord Barnett
Legislation – Growth and Infrastructure Bill – Second reading – Baroness Hanham
Wednesday
Oral Questions – Census results in which 240,000 respondents described themselves as "Arab" and the wider participation of Arabs in public life in the UK – Lord Lea of Crondall
Discussions with EU member states and other countries about the issue of tax havens – Lord Dubs
Representations made to the governments of Uganda and Nigeria about legislation regarding the treatment of homosexuals – Lord Lexden
Motion – Procedure of the House – 3rd Report from the Select Committee (HL Paper 81) – Motion to agree and motions to amend – Lord Sewel/Lord Lea of Crondall/Lord Kennedy of Southwark
Legislation – Public Service Pensions Bill – Committee of the whole House – Lord Newby
Short Debate – UK government-funded medical care for women and girls impregnated by rape in armed conflict – Lord Lester of Herne Hill
Thursday
Oral Questions – Consequences of large-scale commercial land acquisitions in the developing world and the prevention of a world food crisis – Lord Judd
Reducing the number of amputations due to diabetes – Lord Kennedy of Southwark
How many public libraries closed during 2012 – Lord Stevenson of Balmacara
Debate – Administration and Works – 1st Report from the Select Committee (HL Paper 96) – Lord Sewel
Debate – Report by Scope Over-looked Communities, Over-due Change, on disability services for people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds – Lord Boateng
Debate – Decline in honey bees in 2012 and measures to combat the prevalence of disease in bee colonies – Lord Moynihan
Debate – EU Committee report on women on boards: recommendation for a Reasoned Opinion – Motion to Approve – Lord Boswell of Aynho
Friday
Debate – Lord Justice Leveson report on the culture, practices and ethics of the press – Viscount Younger of Leckie
Pick of the select committees
Monday
Transport
Subject: Rail 2020: West Coast Main Line franchise
Witness(es): Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport and Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport
Location: Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday
Home Affairs
Subject: Leadership and standards in the police service
Witness(es): Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe QPM, Metropolitan Police Commissioner
Location: The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Thursday
Political and Constitutional Reform
Subject: Ensuring standards in the quality of legislation
Witness(es): Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, Leader of the House and Adam Pile, Cabinet Office
Location: Room 8, Palace of Westminster
