Order of Business Thursday 1 March 2012

+ indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.

House of Commons

Order of Business

At 10.30 am Prayers

Afterwards

Notes:  * indicates a question for oral answer.

[R] indicates that the Member has declared a relevant interest.

Questions for oral answer not reached receive a written answer

Supplementary questions will also be asked. Other Ministers may also answer.

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

*  1 Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire): What progress she has made in reducing regulatory burdens on farmers. (97372)

*  2 Julian Sturdy (York Outer): What recent discussions she has had on water resources; and if she will make a statement. (97374)

*  3 Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham): What recent discussions she has had on water resources; and if she will make a statement. (97375)

*  4 Naomi Long (Belfast East): What assessment she has made of the Austrian Constitutional Court's decision to dismiss the legal challenge against a ban on wild animals in circuses; and if she will bring forward proposals to implement such a ban in the UK. (97376)

*  5 Robert Halfon (Harlow): How many apprentices are employed in her Department. (97377)

*  6 George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth): What recent discussions she has had on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; and if she will make a statement. (97379)

*  7 Stella Creasy (Walthamstow): When she plans to publish her proposals on dangerous dogs. (97380)

*  8 Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe): What recent discussions she has had with representatives of the insurance industry on the Government's policy on maintaining coastal and inland flood defences. (97381)

*  9 Chris Kelly (Dudley South): What assessment she has made of the implications for her policy on waste of the Government's strategy on metal theft. (97382)

*  10 Lyn Brown (West Ham): What steps her Department is taking to protect production and jobs in the UK sugar industry. (97383)

*  11 Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham): What progress she has made in reducing regulatory burdens on farmers. (97384)

*  12 Mark Menzies (Fylde): What progress she has made in reducing regulatory burdens on farmers. (97385)

*  13 Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield): When she plans to publish her proposals on dangerous dogs. (97386)

*  14 Stephen Timms (East Ham): What assessment she has made of the implications of the European Commission's policy on the cane sugar refining industry. (97388)

*  15 Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the spread of the Schmallenberg virus. (97389)

*  16 Mr David Amess (Southend West): What assessment she has made of the implications for her policy on waste of the Government's strategy on metal theft. (97390)

*  17 Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central): When she plans to publish her proposals on dangerous dogs. (97391)

At 11.05 am

Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Members listed below have been selected by ballot to ask a Topical Question.

*  T1 Neil Carmichael (Stroud): If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities. (97392)

*  T2 Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield):  (97393)

*  T3 Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts):  (97394)

*  T4 Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire):  (97396)

*  T5 Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge):  (97397)

*  T6 Anna Soubry (Broxtowe):  (97399)

*  T7 Mr David Amess (Southend West):  (97400)

*  T8 Julian Sturdy (York Outer):  (97401)


At 11.15 am

Oral Questions to the honourable Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners

*  1 David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): What annual wage is paid to chauffeurs working for Church of England bishops. (97362)

*  2 Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth): What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to ensure that cathedrals are able to access insurance. (97364)

*  3 Andrew Stephenson (Pendle): What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to promote bell ringing. (97365)

*  4 Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): What discussions the Church Commissioners have had with (a) the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and (b) the Secretary of State for the Home Department on metal theft from war memorials situated on Church of England property. (97366)

*  5 Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): What plans the Church Commissioners have to provide support for Christian communities in Syria. (97367)

*  6 Guy Opperman (Hexham): What steps are being taken to protect churches and churchyards against metal theft. (97368)

*  7 Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton): What recent representations the Church Commissioners have received on bats in churches; and if he will make a statement. (97369)

*  8 Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): What recent representations he has received on the implications for the Church Commissioners of the Government's plans to introduce same-sex marriage. (97370)

*  9 Valerie Vaz (Walsall South): How many churches use forensic marking systems to prevent metal theft from church property; and what the cost is of such systems. (97371)

At 11.30 am Urgent Questions (if any)

Business Question to the Leader of the House

Ministerial Statements (if any)

Preliminary Business

Notice of Presentation of Bill

1 PRIVATE PENSIONS (CHARGES, DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY) [No debate]

Mr Gareth Thomas

Bill to require firms offering regulated private pensions services to exercise a fiduciary duty of care to consumers and other users of financial services, to exercise due diligence when making decisions on behalf of consumers, to provide clear information to consumers on all charges and costs paid by the consumer or the pension fund on the consumer’s behalf and to disclose any conflict of interest and potential conflict of interest including commercial relationships that might result in or be perceived to result in financial detriment to consumers or undermine the integrity of financial markets; to make provision for disclosure by postcode of the location of investors in private pension funds; to make provision for an Annual General Meeting for each private pension fund; and for connected purposes.

Formal first reading: no debate or decision.

Main Business

2 BACKBENCH BUSINESS (unallotted day) [Until 6.00 pm]

CPI/RPI PENSIONS UPRATING

John McDonnell

Dame Anne Begg

Caroline Lucas

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Bob Russell

Paul FlynnStewart HosieHywel Williams

Graeme MorriceMr Mike WeirSandra Osborne

Katy ClarkDr Eilidh WhitefordJim McGovern

John CryerGrahame M. MorrisKelvin Hopkins

Mr David AndersonMrs Linda RiordanMrs Mary Glindon

Albert OwenMr Dennis SkinnerMark Durkan

That this House notes that the e-petition entitled Public and Private Pension Increases–change from RPI to CPI attracted over 100,000 signatures very quickly, revealing a high level of concern about the Government’s decision to change the indexation for occupational pensions from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Price Index, which will mean that many people, both those retired and those yet to retire, will receive less in their pension payments than they were led to expect; and calls on the Government to reintroduce the RPI measure immediately.


As an Amendment to John McDonnell’s proposed Motion (CPI/RPI Pensions Uprating):

Guto Bebb

Simon Hart

Mike Weatherley

Glyn Davies

James Wharton

Stuart Andrew

George EusticePaul UppalMark Pawsey

David MowatMr Graham StuartJulian Sturdy

Matthew HancockJackie Doyle-PriceMr Peter Bone

Julian SmithDamian HindsDr Thérèse Coffey

(a)

Line 1, leave out from ‘House’ to end and add ‘notes that despite criticism of the Government’s decision to change the inflationary measure from RPI to CPI in order to uprate additional state pensions, public and private pensions to more accurately reflect spending by pensioners, a large number of public bodies have already made or announced changes, including the Labour Party, which transferred its own staff pension scheme to CPI from RPI on the basis of affordability in 2010; and further notes that the Party’s financial statement for 2010 states that ‘the change has been recognised at 31 December 2010 and the overall impact of this is a reduction of £4.2 million in the value of defined benefit obligations’.’.

WELSH AFFAIRS

Paul Murphy

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

That this House has considered the matter of Welsh Affairs.

The Eighth Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, Inward Investment in Wales, HC 854, is relevant.

Debate may continue until 6.00 pm.

At the end of the sitting:

3 PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PETITION [No debate]

Free school transport from Perton (South Staffordshire) (Gavin Williamson)

Presentation of petitions: no debate or decision (Standing Order No. 153).

4 ADJOURNMENT

Proposed subject: Treatment of the Hazara people in Quetta, Pakistan (Alan Johnson).

Debate may continue until 6.30 pm or for half an hour, whichever is later (Standing Order No. 9).


COMMITTEES

PUBLIC BILL COMMITTEES

1

Civil Aviation Bill Committee

9.30 am

Room 9 (public)

1.00 pm

(public)

Further to consider the Bill.

2

Financial Services Bill Committee

9.30 am

Room 12 (public)

1.00 pm

(public)

Further to consider the Bill.

SELECT COMMITTEES

3

Political and Constitutional Reform

9.45 am

The Wilson Room, Portcullis House (private)

10.00 am

(public)

Subject: Introducing a statutory register of lobbyists.

Witnesses: Mark Adams, Director, standup4lobbying, and Mr Mark Ramsdale; Elizabeth France CBE, Chair, UK Public Affairs Council (at 11.00 am).

4

Business, Innovation and Skills

10.30 am

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House (private)

11.00 am

(public)

Subject: Apprenticeships.

Witnesses: JTL Training, Forum of Private Business, and Association of Employment and Learning Providers.

[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.]

PUBLICATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS

Thursday 1 March

Time of publication

No.

1

Joint Committee on Human Rights

00.01 am

HC 1074

Implementation of the Right of Disabled People to Independent Living (Twenty-third Report).

Written Ministerial Statements to be made today

1Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Fire and rescue control services.

2Secretary of State for Defence: Defence transformation.

3Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Performing wild animals in travelling circuses.

4Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Diplomatic security in Syria.

5Secretary of State for the Home Department: The Border Force.

6Leader of the House: State Opening of Parliament.

7Secretary of State for Transport: Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs.

General Committee Notices

A Public Bill Committee will meet on Tuesday 6 March at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm, and on Thursday 8 March at 9.30 am and 1.00 pm further to consider the Civil Aviation Bill.

A Public Bill Committee will meet on Tuesday 6 March at 10.30 am and 4.00 pm, and on Thursday 8 March at 9.30 am and 1.00 pm further to consider the Financial Services Bill.

European Committee B will meet on Monday 5 March at 4.30 pm to consider European Union Documents No. 15936/10, No. 16219/10 and No. 16392/10 relating to the EU Citizenship Reports 2010, and European Union Document No. 18122/10 relating to the Commission Green Paper on less bureaucracy for citizens: promoting free movement of public documents and recognition of effects of civil status records.

European Committee C will meet on Tuesday 6 March at 4.30 pm to consider European Union Document No. 15243/11 and Addenda 1 to 4, relating to a Draft Regulation laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund covered by the Common Strategic Framework and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 1083/2006.

The First Delegated Legislation Committee will meet on Tuesday 6 March at 4.30 pm to consider the draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 and the draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

Prepared 1st March 2012