The week in Westminster: November 15th - 19th

The week in Westminster: November 15th – 19th

The week in Westminster: November 15th – 19th

David Cameron faces a two-hour grilling from MPs on Thursday, in what will be the culmination of a busy week in the select committee corridor.

Foreign secretary William Hague, environment secretary Caroline Spelman and the new top man in Britain’s military, General Sir David Richards, are appearing earlier in the week.

But it’s Thursday when the main event takes place, as the new prime minister gets used to the intense scrutiny from the Commons’ select committee chairs in his first encounter with them.

COMMONS

Monday

Questions – education
Statement – G20 – prime minister
Legislation – terrorist asset-freezing
Adjournment debate – preservation of Sutherland Point

Tuesday

Questions – Treasury
Ten minute rule motion – employment retention
Legislation – fixed-term parliaments bill
Adjournment debate – Scotland Office policy on proposals to move away from Greenwich Mean Time

Wednesday

Questions – international development
PMQs
Ten minute rule motion – onshore wind turbines (proximity of habitation)
Opposition day debate – health, education
Motion – To approve the draft Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 and the draft Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2010
Adjournment debate – decision making on ward closures

Thursday

Questions – business, innovation and skills
Business statement – leader of the House
Backbench business – immigration
Adjournment debate – deep water drilling off the west coast of Shetland

Friday

Private members’ bills – public services (social enterprise and social value) bill, first safety (protection of tenants) bill

LORDS

Monday

Introduction – Professor Sheila Hollins
Questions – court closures, educational psychology, healthcare costs, services to private medical insurance subscribers
Legislation – parliamentary voting system and constituencies bill

Tuesday

Questions – deaths of women in custody, bovine TB, Department of Health’s quangos
Debate – on the Interim Report from the Leader’s Group on Members leaving the House

Wednesday

Questions – National Clinical Strategy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, prebiotics against c.difficile, Tajikistan
Legislation – contaminated blood (support for infected and bereaved persons) bill
Legislation – identity documents bill
Orders and regulations – Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (No. 2) Regulations 2010

Thursday

Questions – issuing visas for Iraqi nationals, lorry road user charging, EU-Russia pact
Debate – common agricultural policy
Debate – role of active citizenship in society
Debate – work of the Council of Europe

PICK OF THE COMMITTEES

Monday

14:15 – foreign secretary William Hague, before foreign affairs committee, on: The UK’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan

Tuesday

11:30 – environment, food and rural affairs secretary Caroline Spelman, before environment, food and rural affairs committee, on: Comprehensive Spending Review

14:15 – justice secretary Kenneth Clarke, before justice committee, on: The Government’s Human Rights Policy

Wednesday

10:30 – chief of the defence staff General Sir David Richards, before defence committee, on: The appointment of the new Chief of the Defence Staff

Thursday

14:00 – prime minister David Cameron, before liaison committee, on: Oral Evidence from the Prime Minister