The week in Westminster: October 18th to 22nd

Friday, 15 October 2010 12:00 AM

It's not hard to pick this week's highlight.

On Wednesday George Osborne will inform the Commons of the government's comprehensive spending review, the impact of which will shape Britain's politics for the next decade.

Arguing that international development secretary Andrew Mitchell's appearance before his department's select committee, or that Wednesday's adjournment debate on health services in north-east London, might be worthy sort of misses the point, doesn't it?

Actually there is one other major event to look forward to: the strategic defence and security review's findings on Tuesday is of huge significance. We're going to be busy.

COMMONS

Monday
Questions - work and pensions
Legislation - parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Adjournment debate - provision of education psychology services

Tuesday
Questions - justice
Statement - strategic defence and security review
Ten minute rule motion - House of Commons disqualification (amendment)
Legislation - parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Adjournment debate - VAT and charities

Wednesday
Questions - Cabinet Office
PMQs
Statement - comprehensive spending review
Ten minute rule motion - police terms and conditions of service (redundancy)
Legislation - parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill
Adjournment debate - analogue and digital television and radio reception in Thanet and East Kent

Thursday
Questions - communities and local government
Business statement - leader of the House
Legislation - local government bill
Adjournment debate - health services in north-east London

Friday
Private members' bills - lawful industrial action (minor errors) bill; sports grounds safety authority bill; and others
Adjournment debate - consular services and British citizens killed or injured abroad

LORDS

Monday
Lord Williams of Baglan
Questions - Marshall scholarships, north-west rail services, voting rights of prisoners, allotments
Legislation - identity documents bill
Short debate - financial provision on divorce

Tuesday
Questions - corruption in cricket, EU renewables directive, osteoporosis fractures
Legislation - Leeds city council bill, Reading borough council bill, Canterbury city council bill, Nottingham city council bill
Short debate - benefits of adult education

Wednesday
Questions - tax avoidance, Irish cross-border crime, UN climate change conference in Cancun
Motion - Political Parties, Elections and Referendums (Civil Sanctions) Order 2010
Debate - EU committee report on seasonal employment of third-country nationals

Thursday
Questions - BBC and British Council
Debate - immigration in the UK
Debate - special educational needs
Debate - teaching of modern languages

Friday
Legislation - contaminated blood (supported for infected and bereaved persons) bill
Legislation - building regulations (review) bill

PICK OF THE COMMITTEES

Tuesday
10:30 - former minister and memoir writer Chris Mullin, before public administration select committee, on: Smaller Government: What do Ministers do?

Thursday
10:00 - Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin, before political and constitutional reform committee, on: Lessons from the process of government formation after the 2010 general election
10:00 - international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, before international development committee, on: The 2010 Millennium Development Goals Review Summit

Special event coverage

ESRC logo

Festival of Social Sciences: Celebrating the Social Sciences

Evidence-based policy should not be a radical concept. It needs to be celebrated.

ESRC logo

Festival of Social Sciences: 2 languages: 2 brains, 2 minds, 2 cultures?

As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences, the Deafness Cognition And Language Research Centre (DCAL) hosted an event exploring the powerful benefits of bilingualism in spoken and sign languages, for hearing and deaf people alike - benefits that reach hearing and deaf people alike.

Opinion Former Events

Voice: Feeling stressed? Understand yourself? Now, move forward Conference

Application forms are now available for an exciting conference in Manchester. The fun-packed day will give you practical solutions and advice on managing stress and time to help you achieve a work/life balance.

BHA: The Marriage Debate - ‘This house would legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales'

Two weeks before the Government’s consultation on same-sex marriage draws to a close, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association is participating in a debate hosted by Catholic Voices on the motion, ‘This House Would Legalise Same-Sex Marriage’.

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition and Conference

This one-day event is targeted at professionals operating in the information destruction industry, and aims at keeping delegates updated on recent developments in their sector, providing an opportunity to network with fellow professionals, whilst offering access to an informative exhibition and a comprehensive conference programme.

ABI: The Future of Long-term Savings & Retirement Income - Automatic Enrolment and Beyond Conference

The Future of Long-term Savings & Retirement Income - Automatic Enrolment and Beyond Conference

Take the Gold Challenge for St Dunstan's

We provide lifelong support for blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women. You can help give more blind heroes an independent future by taking the Gold Challenge

TACT: 2013 Virgin London Marathon

Join TACT at one of the greatest sporting events on the planet and help give a child in care a future to smile about.

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