The Week in Westminster 17th November – 21st November
The timing is impeccable. The week kicks off with topical questions for the Department of Children, Schools and Families. In the wake of the Baby P scandal, this could prove problematic. The controversy started tainting the upper reaches of the government during prime minister’s questions, when Gordon Brown tried to accuse David Cameron of making the issue party political. That backfired spectacularly, in one of the most bad-tempered PMQs for a while. It got worse at the end of the week, when it transpired a social worker had warned the DoH of failure at Haringey council. Expect Michael Gove to concentrate his ample talents on making Ed Balls bleed during this session.
At the same time, over in the Lords, Baroness Miller of Chilthorne leads the debate on what will eventually become the data communications bill, where the government’s big idea is to retain records of everyone phone calls, texts and emails. This issue is getting bigger and bigger by the week, and by the time it actually hits the Commons it won’t have much less of a reputation than the 42-day proposals.
On Tuesday, the Treasury committee looks at bank nationalisation in the company of Bradford and Bingley’s chairman and chief executive, and the chief executive officer of Northern Rock.
On Wednesday, the Commons take a look at the vast sea of amendments the Lords have whacked onto the counterterrorism bill.
Monday
Commons
2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Children, Schools and Families; including Topical Questions
Motion:
Ways and Means resolution on the Education and Skills Bill
Legislation:
Education and Skills Bill – Lords amendments
Adjournment:
Healthcare in Sutton – Mr Paul Burstow
Lords
2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Proposed database of mobile telephone and internet records – Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
Commercial development of wind farms and other renewable energy sources – Lord James of Blackheath
Christians in Orissa – Baroness Cox
Inheritance tax liability – Baroness Gardner of Parkes
3.30pm
Orders and Regulations:
European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement) Order 2008 – Lord Tunnicliffe
International Organisation for Migration (Immunities and Privileges) Order 2008 – Lord Bach
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment)(England and Wales) Order 2008 – Lord Bach
Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (Amendment) Order 2008 – Lord Patel of Bradford
Legal Services Act 2007 (Function of a Designated Regulator) Order – Lord Patel of Bradford
Legislation:
Counter-Terrorism Bill – Third reading – Lord West of Spithead
Climate Change Bill [HL] – Commons Amendment – Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Select Committees
3.45pm
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Children, Schools and Families
Subject:
National Curriculum
Witness(es):
Cambridge Assessment, QCA, and Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
4.15pm
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills
Subject:
Geo-engineering
Witness(es):
Dr Phil Williamson, Research Councils UK, Professor Nick Jenkins, Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr Tim Fox, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and Professor Steve Rayner, University of Oxford; Rt Hon Lord Drayson, Minister of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Joan Ruddock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, and Professor Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (at 5.00 pm)
4.20pm
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Communities and Local Government
Subject:
The Balance of Power: central and local government
Witness(es):
Local Government Information Unit, New Local Government Network and London Councils; Ann Keen MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health, and Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State, Home Office (at 5.00 pm); NHS Confederation and Association of Chief Police Officers (at 5.40 pm)
4.30pm
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Public Accounts
Subject:
Renewing the physical infrastructure of the English further education colleges
Witness(es):
Ian Watmore, Permanent Secretary, and Susan Pember OBE, Director, Further Education and Skills, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and Mark Haysom, Chief Executive, Learning and Skills Council
Lords committees
4.05pm
EU Sub-Committee B: Internal Market
Subject:
Amendments to the Roaming Regulation
Witness(es):
Lord Carter of Barnes
General Committees
4.30pm
Room 10, Palace of Westminster
European Committee B:
Subject:
EU Document Nos. 8163/08 and 13829/07 and COM (2007) 569 relating to ‘Debate Europe’ and Communicating Europe in Partnership
4.30pm
Room 9, Palace of Westminster
First Delegated Legislation Committee:
Subject:
Draft Local Loans (Increase of Limit) Order 2008
4.30pm
Room 11, Palace of Westminster
Second Delegated Legislation Committee:
Subject:
Draft European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement) Order 2008
4.30pm
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee:
Subject:
Draft International Organisation for Migration (Immunities and Privileges) Order 2008
4.30pm
Room 12, Palace of Westminster
Third Delegated Legislation Committee:
Subject:
Draft Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Amendment of List of Responders) Order 2008
Tuesday
Commons
2.30pm
Oral Questions:
Communities and Local Government; including Topical Questions
Motion:
Ways and Means resolution on the Energy Bill
Legislation:
Energy Bill – Lords Amendments
Climate Change Bill – Lords Amendments
Adjournment:
UK aid to the Palestinians – Anne Snelgrove
Lords
2.30pm
Introduction(s):
Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells
Oral Questions:
Offshore financial centres – Lord Wallace of Saltaire
Visa requirements for citizens from Republic of Macedonia – Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
Proportion of wealth currently held by the richest 10 per cent of population – Lord Sheldon
Legislation:
Planning Bill – Third reading – Baroness Andrews
Local Transport Bill [HL] – Commons Amendment – Lord Adonis
Westminster Hall
9.30am – 11am
Government policy on people with strokes – Mr Graham Allen
11am – 12.30pm
Regional broadcasting – Paul Rowen
12.30pm – 1pm
Consular support to UK Nationals and the case of April Nord – Mr Eric Illsley
1pm – 1.30pm
Digital broadcasting and the use of relays in West Dorset – Mr Oliver Letwin
1.30pm – 2pm
Mobility component of disability living allowance – Mr Martin Caton
3.30pm
Debate:
End of life care – Lord Warner/Lord Darzi of Denham
End of Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Scheme – Lord Luce/Lord Bach
Select Committees
9.30am
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Treasury
Subject:
Banking Crisis – Nationalised banks
Witness(es):
Richard Pym, Chief Executive, and Rod Kent, Chairman, Bradford and Bingley; Gary Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer, and Ron Sandler CBE, Non-Executive Chairman, Northern Rock (at 10.30 am)
10.20am
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Environmental Audit
Subject:
Reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping
Witness(es):
Witnesses: Dr Alice Bows, Tyndall Senior Research Fellow, and Dr Terry Barker, Programme Leader, Integrating Frameworks, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research; Gillian Reynolds, Principal Environment and Sustainability Adviser, Lloyd’s Register, and Member of the Institute of Marine Engineering (at 10.55 am); Association of British Ports and Port of London Authority (at 11.30 am)
10.30am
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Business and Enterprise
Subject:
Pub Companies
Witness(es):
Fair Pint Campaign, Federation of Small Businesses, and Paul Daly; Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, David Morgan, and Simon Clarke (at 11.30 am)
10.30am
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Culture, Media and Sport
Subject:
Commercial Operations of the BBC
Witness(es):
Sir Michael Lyons, Chairman, BBC Trust, and Mark Thompson, Director General, BBC; John Smith, Chief Executive, and Etienne De Villiers, Non-Executive Chairman, BBC Worldwide, and Zarin Patel, Director of Finance, and Caroline Thomson, Chief Operating Officer, BBC (at 11.30 am)
10.30am
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Defence
Subject:
Defence Equipment
Witness(es):
Defence Industries Council, Society of British Aerospace Companies, Defence Manufacturers Association and BAE Systems plc
10.30am
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Home Affairs
Subject:
(i) Monitoring of UK Border Agency (ii) Security Industry Authority
Witness(es):
(i) UK Border Agency, and the Independent Monitor (ii) Security Industry Authority (at 11.30 am)
10.30am
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
International Development
Subject:
DFID and China
Witness(es):
Professor Stephen Chan, School of Oriental and African Studies, and Dr Jing Gu, Institute of Development Studies
10.30am
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Welsh Affairs
Subject:
The provision of cross-border public services for Wales
Witness(es):
Lord Adonis, Minister of State, Department for Transport; Network Rail (at 11.15 am)
1.45pm
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Joint Committee on Human Rights
Subject:
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Witness(es):
Jonathan Shaw MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
4.15pm
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Justice
Subject:
Justice Reinvestment
Witness(es):
Chief Officers of Probation, and Prison Governors’ Association; Howard League for Penal Reform, CLINKS and Local Government Information Unit (at 4.55 pm); General Lord Ramsbotham GCB, CBE (at 5.35 pm)
Lords Committees
1.40pm
Joint Committee on Human Rights
Subject:
UN Disability Rights Convention
Witness(es):
Jonathan Shaw MP, Minister for Disabled People, DWP
General Committees
10.30am
Room 9, Palace of Westminster
Banking Bill Committee:
Subject:
Further to consider the Bill & 4:30pm
10.30am
Room 11, Palace of Westminster
Political Parties and Elections Bill Committee:
Subject:
Further to consider the Bill & 4:30pm
4.30pm
Room 14, Palace of Westminster
Northern Ireland Grand Committee:
Subject:
Organised crime in Northern Ireland
Wednesday
Commons
11.30am
Oral Questions:
Northern Ireland
Prime Minister’s Question Time:
Ten Minute Rule Bill:
Road Traffic (Accident Compensation) – Dr Brian Iddon
Legislation:
Counter Terrorism Bill – Lords Amendments
Adjournment:
Lymington River and the Habitats Directive – Mr Desmond Swayne
Lords
3pm
Oral Questions:
Discussions with British Medical Association about drug dependency in prisons – Lord Bishop of Liverpool
Report of Chief Inspector of Prisons ‘The Indeterminate Sentence for Public Prosecution: A Thematic Review’ – Baroness Linklater of Butterstone
Funding arrangements for students pursuing a course in higher education – Baroness Perry of Southwark
Legislation:
Pensions Bill – Third reading – Lord McKenzie of Luton
Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [HL] – Commons Amendment – Lord Davies of Oldham
Short Debate:
Fire safety services in the EU – Lord Harrison/Baroness Andrews
Westminster Hall
9.30am – 11am
Policy on the Stern Report – Mr Peter Lilley
11am – 11.30am
RAF support to operations in Afghanistan and Iraq – Mr Mark Lancaster
2.30pm – 4pm
Rail links to the continent – Mr David Kidney
4pm – 4.30pm
Parliamentary accountability of nuclear industry finances – Paul Flynn
4.30pm – 5pm
Remploy and public procurement – Annette Brooke
Select Committees
9.30am
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills
Subject:
Engineering in Government
Witness(es):
Professor David Fisk, Imperial College London, Professor Michael Kelly, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Communities and Local Government, and the Council for Science and Technology; Lord Broers and Professor Christopher Snowden, Royal Academy of Engineering (at 10.15 am)
9.30am
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Work and Pensions
Subject:
DWP IT Procurement
Witness(es):
Joe Harley, IT Director General and CIO Corporate IT, Dean James, Corporate IT Chief Operating Officer, and Malcolm Whitehouse, Group Applications Director, Department for Work and Pensions
10am
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Health
Subject:
Health Inequalities
Witness(es):
Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State, and Hugh Taylor CB, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health
2.15pm
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Scottish Affairs
Subject:
Office of the Advocate General for Scotland
Witness(es):
Lord Davidson of Glen Clova QC, Advocate General for Scotland
2.30pm
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Foreign Affairs
Subject:
Global Security: Non-Proliferation
Witness(es):
Mr Daniel Feakes, University of Sussex, Dr Brian Jones, Southampton University, and Mr Nicolas Sims, London School of Economics
2.30pm
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Treasury
Subject:
Banking Crisis – Executive remuneration
Witness(es):
Carol Arrowsmith, Deloitte, Ronnie Fox, Principal, Fox Law Firm, Peter Hahn, Sir John Cass Business School, and Charles Cotton, Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development; Brendan Barber, Secretary-General, TUC, Peter Montagnon, ABI, Jonathon Taylor, LIBA, and Miles Templeman, Director-General, Institute of Directors (at 3.30 pm)
3pm
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Subject:
Waste Strategy for England 2007
Witness(es):
ASDA, John Lewis Partnership and Brecknell Willis; Bovis Lend Lease and Constructing Excellence (at 3.40 pm)
3pm
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Northern Ireland Affairs
Subject:
Cross-border co-operation
Witness(es):
HM Revenue and Customs
3.30pm
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Public Accounts
Subject:
UK’s future nuclear deterrent capability
Witness(es):
Sir Bill Jeffrey KCB, Permanent Under Secretary of State, Dr Paul Hollinshead OBE, Director of Strategic Requirement, Guy Lester, Director of General Equipment, and Rear Admiral A D H Mathews CB, Director General, Submarines, Ministry of Defence
Lords Committees
10.30am
Constitution
Subject:
Surveillance and Data Collection
Witness(es):
Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Policing, Crime & Security on the Surveillance Inquiry
10.40am
Science and Technology: Sub-Committee II
Subject:
Genomic Medicine
Witness(es):
(a) Professor Peter Littlejohns, Director, Clinical & Public Health Directorate, National Institute for Clinical Excellence; Mr Richard Gutowski, Head of Compliance and European Business Medical Devices, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; and Mr Thomas Lönngren, Executive Director, European Medicines Agency; and (b) from Professor Maggie Kirk, Head of Research/ Leader Genomics Policy Unit, and Lead Professional Specialist (Nursing Professions), NHS National Genetics Education & Development Centre, University of Glamorgan; Dr Hilary Harris, GP and former member of the Human Genetics Commission; and Mr Paul Streets, Chief Executive, Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board
Thursday
Commons
10.30am
Oral Questions:
Innovation, Universities and Skills; including Topical Questions
Business Statement:
Leader of the House
Debate:
Fisheries
Adjournment:
Liquidation of Bank of Credit and Commerce International – Keith Vaz
Lords
11am
Oral Questions:
Support and encouragement given to farmers in poor countries – Lord Judd
Ratio of physicians to population – Lord Roberts of Llandudno
Diabetes among children – Lord Harrison
Westminster Hall
2.30pm – 5.30pm
Debate on Organ Donation
Select Committees
10am
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Health
Subject:
Patient Safety
Witness(es):
Professor Richard Thomson, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Newcastle, and Professor Alastair Gray, Professor of Health Economics, University of Oxford; Mr Martin Bromiley, Chairman of the Clinical Human Factors Group, Ms Josephine Ocloo, World Health Organization Patient Safety Champion, and Mrs Clare Bowen (at 11.15 am)
10am
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Public Administration
Subject:
Official Statistics
Witness(es):
Sir Michael Scholar KCB, Chair, Karen Dunnell, Chief Executive, and Richard Alldritt, Head of Assessment, UK Statistics Authority
10.30am
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Home Affairs
Subject:
Draft Immigration and Citizenship Bill
Witness(es):
Phil Woolas MP, Minister of State, Home Office
11am
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Business and Enterprise
Subject:
Creating a higher value-added economy
Witness(es):
Technical Strategy Board
Lords Committees
10.10am
EU Sub-Committee G: Social Policy and Consumer Affairs
Subject:
Cross-border Healthcare
Witness(es):
The General Medical Council; and Nursing and Midwifery Council
11.30am
EU Sub-Committee C: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy
Subject:
EU and Russia
Witness(es):
Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Political Director, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
General Committees
9am
Room 11, Palace of Westminster
Political Parties and Elections Bill Committee:
Subject:
Further to consider the Bill & 1:00pm
Friday
Commons
The House will not be sitting.
Lords
The House will not be sitting.
