The week in Westminster: June 18th – 22nd
Scottish independence is heavily on the agenda this week, with questions on the matter in the House of Commons and Select Committees in both chambers discussing the issue.
COMMONS
Monday
Questions – Education
Legislation – Electoral registration and administration bill
Adjournment debate – Scrap metal theft
Tuesday
Questions – Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Motion – European Convention on Human Rights
Debate – Financial services market abuse
Adjournment – Access to water in Chillerton and Gatcombe
Wednesday
Questions – Scotland
Prime minister's questions
Opposition Debate – Disability benefits and social care
Adjournment – Death of Colin Fraynor
Thursday
Business Statement – Leader of the House
Backbench Business – British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, the miss-selling of interest rates swap products to small businesses
LORDS
Monday
Questions – Adequate mobile telephone services, apprenticeships for young people with minority backgrounds, implementing the Delivering Dignity report, re-organisation of employment tribunals
Legislation – Crime and Courts bill
Short Debate – Promoting the Access to Work mental health support service
Tuesday
Questions – Tobacco issues, consequences for nuclear non-proliferating of the Trident replacement programme, regulation with regard to the impact on businesses and individuals
Legislation- Justice and Security Bill
Wednesday
Questions – Liverpool Care Pathway in NHS hospitals and the outcome of parliamentary debates and votes on euthanasia, jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, Welsh government's reform or replacement of the Barnett formula.
Legislation – Crime and Courts bill
Debate – EU data protection directive
Thursday
Questions – safeguarding digital terrestrial television services,, estimate of the cost of government to reform the House of Lords, current standards of behaviour in the Chamber of the House of Lords
Debate – voluntary sector and social enterprise, importance of growth strategy for the UK economy
PICK OF THE COMMITTEES
Tuesday
15:30 – Economic Affairs Committee: Economic implications for the United Kingdom of Scottish independence. Professor John Tomaney, University of Newcastle; Professor John Simpson, economist; Katie Schmuecker, IPPR North.
Wednesday
9:15 – Science and Technology Committee: Bridging the valley of death. Sir Peter Williams and Sir David Cooksey; David Sweeney, Director, Higher Education Funding Council; Professor Nick Wright, Russell Group and UK Deans of Science.
14:30 – Scottish affairs: The referendum on separation for Scotland. Lt Col (Retd) Stuart Crawford and Richard Marsh, Economist.
Thursday
10:00 – Political and Constitutional Reform Committee: Ensuring standards in the quality of legislation. Rt Hon Lord Butler of Brockwell KG, GCB, CVO, Better Government Initiative; Sir Nicholas Monck KCB, Better Government Initiative, and Nat le Roux, The Constitution Society.
