Order of Business Wednesday 24 October 2012

+ indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.

House of Commons

Order of Business

At 11.30 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 Northern Ireland

 1 Pat Glass (North West Durham): What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. (123801)

 2 David Rutley (Macclesfield): What recent discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on economic development. (123802)

 3 Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire): What progress she has made on implementing the recommendations of the Northern Ireland Select Committee's Third Report of Session 2010-12 on Fuel Laundering and Smuggling in Northern Ireland, HC 1504. (123803)

 4 Ian Lucas (Wrexham): What assessment she has made of the effect of the Government's economic policies in Northern Ireland. (123804)

 5 Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South): What assessment she has made of the effect of the level of Air Passenger Duty for short haul flights on the regional economy in Northern Ireland. (123805)

 6 Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): What assessment she has made of the effect of the Government's economic policies in Northern Ireland. (123806)

 7 Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): What discussions she has had with the Irish Government on extending the deadline for the completion of the Smithwick Tribunal. (123807)

 8 Naomi Long (Belfast East): What further steps she plans to take following the initial round of talks with Northern Ireland party leaders aimed at finding consensus on dealing with the past and its legacy. (123809)

 9 Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside): What her policy is on the devolution of corporation tax to Northern Ireland. (123810)

 10 Iain McKenzie (Inverclyde): What assessment she has made of the effect of the Government's welfare reforms in Northern Ireland. (123811)

 11 Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): What recent discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on starting a process to dismantle peace walls in Belfast. (123812)

 12 Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West): What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on providing additional funding to repair police, army and emergency service vehicles and equipment damaged during the recent public disorder in Northern Ireland. (123813)

 13 Fiona Bruce (Congleton): What recent discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on attracting inward investment. (123815)

At 12 noon

Oral Questions to the Prime Minister

Unless otherwise indicated the Members listed below will ask a Question without notice.

 Q1 Bob Stewart (Beckenham): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 24 October. (124339)

 Q2 Chris Kelly (Dudley South):  (124340)

 Q3 Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West):  (124341)

 Q4 Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):  (124342)

 Q5 Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):  (124343)

 Q6 Gavin Shuker (Luton South):  (124344)

 Q7 Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock):  (124345)

 Q8 Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth):  (124346)

 Q9 Henry Smith (Crawley):  (124347)

 Q10 Margaret Hodge (Barking):  (124348)

 Q11 Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):  (124349)

 Q12 Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South):  (124350)

 Q13 David Mowat (Warrington South):  (124351)

 Q14 Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and East Falkirk):  (124352)

 Q15 Derek Twigg (Halton):  (124353)

At 12.30 pm Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

Preliminary Business

Ten minute rule Motion

1 UNPAID WORK ORDERS (PILOT SCHEME) [Up to 20 minutes]

John Glen

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to give effect to Schedule 6 to the Courts Act 2003; to provide thereby for the imposition of unpaid work orders to pay financial penalties; and for connected purposes.

The Member moving and a Member opposing this Motion may each speak for up to ten minutes (Standing Order No. 23).

Main Business

2 OPPOSITION DAY (7th allotted day) [Until 7.00 pm]

ENERGY MARKET REFORM

Edward Miliband

Caroline Flint

Mr Chuka Umunna

Ed Balls

Luciana Berger

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House notes that annual energy bills have risen by more than £200 since May 2010, with further price rises on the way; calls on the Government to help families and pensioners with their energy bills this winter by requiring energy companies to put all people aged over 75 on their cheapest tariff; and further calls for it to reform the energy market to break the dominance of the Big Six by requiring them to sell power into a pool, and allowing new businesses to enter the market, thereby increasing competition and driving down energy bills for all, and to replace Ofgem with a tough new energy regulator with the power to force energy companies to pass on price cuts when wholesale costs fall.

As an Amendment to Edward Miliband’s proposed Motion (Energy Market Reform):

Mr Mike Weir

Hywel Williams

Dr Eilidh Whiteford

Jonathan Edwards

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil

Angus Robertson

Pete WishartStewart Hosie

(a)

Line 4, after ‘tariff’, insert ‘and to take action to help those off the mains gas grid, including making arrangements to pay pensioners winter fuel allowance for those off the gas grid at an earlier date.’.

POLICING

Edward Miliband

Yvette Cooper

Sadiq Khan

Ms Angela Eagle

Mr David Hanson

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House notes with serious concern the Electoral Reform Society’s warning that the police and crime commissioner elections ‘threaten to result in the lowest turnout of any nationwide election in British history’ following the Government’s decision to hold the elections on 15 November 2012; further notes that the Electoral Reform Society is predicting that turnout will be significantly lower than at the local elections, held in May; believes the Government’s cuts to 15,000 police officers demonstrates its wrong-headed attitude to policing; is concerned about the effect this has on police morale; further notes that Ministers have confirmed that the Government has broken its promise not to cut frontline police officers by taking 6,800 police officers off the front line; is concerned that Government policy is removing crucial tools for the police to catch offenders and tackle crime in the future, such as restricting the use of CCTV and DNA evidence and the abolition of ASBOs; and believes that the Government’s decision to hold elections in November rather than in May wastes public money that should be spent on front line police.

The selection of the matters to be debated this day has been made by the Leader of the Opposition (Standing Order No. 14(2)).

Debate may continue until 7.00 pm.

† indicates Government Business

† 3 MAJOR ACCIDENTS FROM HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES [No debate]

Mr Mark Hoban

That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 18257/10 and Addenda 1 and 2, relating to a draft Directive on control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances; and welcomes the Government’s efforts, during the negotiations on the Directive, to secure appropriate controls on sites with major accident potential while ensuring that the burdens on operators and regulators of such sites are kept to a minimum.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 119(11)).

† 4 DELEGATED LEGISLATION [No debate after 7.00 pm]

Mr Andrew Lansley

That the Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of England, entitled Church of England Marriage (Amendment) Measure, which was laid before this House on 19 October, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee.

If opposed, this item cannot be taken after 7.00 pm.

At the end of the sitting:

5 PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PETITION [No debate]

The Green Howards (Tom Blenkinsop).

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

6 ADJOURNMENT

Proposed subject: Regulation of onshore gas exploration and extraction (Mark Menzies).

Debate may continue until 7.30 pm or for half an hour, whichever is later (Standing Order No. 9).

COMMITTEES

PUBLIC BILL COMMITTEE

To consider the Bill.

SELECT COMMITTEES

Subject: Special Educational Needs.

Witnesses: Kathryn Boulton, Children’s Services, Blackpool Council, Peter Gray, Special Needs Consultancy, and Jo Webber, Director, Ambulance Services Network and Deputy Policy Director; Philippa Stobbs, Special Education Consortium and Council for Disabled Children, Brian Gale, National Deaf Children’s Society, and Dr Charles Palmer, Children and Young People’s Service, Leicestershire County Council (at 10.15 am); Di Roberts, Principal, Brockenhurst College, Christine Terrey, Executive Headteacher, Grays School and Southdown Junior School, Janet Thompson, National Adviser for Disability and Special Educational Needs, Ofsted, and Graham Quinn, Head Teacher, New Bridge School (at 11.00 am).

Subject: (i) GO-Science Annual Review; (ii) Engineering Skills.

Witnesses: (i) Professor Sir John Beddington CMG; (ii) Engineering Employers Federation, Semta, National Grid, and JJ Churchill Ltd (at 10.15 am).

Subject: Work of the Attorney General.

Witness: Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, Attorney General.

Subject: Transport and Accessibility to Public Services.

Witnesses: Campaign for Better Transport, Dr Karen Lucas, Professor Noel Smith, University Campus Suffolk, and Professor Peter Jones, University College London.

Subject: An Air Transport Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Witnesses: Liz Fawcett, Chair, Steering Group, Belfast City Airport Watch, Jenny Simon, Sydenham resident, Barney Gadd, Old Stranmillis Residents’ Association and Joe McGlade, Park Road and District Residents’ Association, BCAW Steering Group; John Rooney, Rooney Fish, Vice Chair of the NI Assembly and Business Trust and Regional Liaison Officer, Federation of Small Businesses, and Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (at 3.00 pm).

Subject: Administration and Effectiveness of HMRC.

Witnesses: Gareth Hills, President, and Graham Black, Past President, Association of Revenue and Customs, and Peter Lockhart, PCS Revenue and Customs Group; Paul Aplin, Chairman, Tax Faculty Technical Committee, Institute of Chartered Accountants, England and Wales, Robin Williamson, Technical Director, Low Incomes Reform Group, and Richard Baron, Head of Taxation, Institute of Directors (at 3.15 pm).

Subject: Dog Control and Welfare.

Witnesses: Mr Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State, and Mike Warren, Head of the Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction Unit, Home Office; Mark Johnston, President, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, and Peter Jones, President, British Veterinary Association (at 4.00 pm).

Subject: Securing Value for Money from Funding of Multilateral Organisations.

Witnesses: Owen Barder, Senior Fellow and Director for Europe, Center for Global Development, and Alison Evans, Director, Overseas Development Institute; Mark Lowcock, Permanent Secretary, Liz Ditchburn, Director, Value for Money, and Anthony Smith, Director, International Relations Division, Department for International Development (at 4.00 pm).

JOINT COMMITTEES

Subject: Banking Standards.

Witness: Sir Donald Cruickshank, Banking Competition Expert.

Subject: Draft Enhanced Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill.

Witnesses: Professor Helen Fenwick, Law School, University of Durham, and Professor Anthony Glees, University of Buckinghamshire; Liberty (at 10.50 am).

Subject: Draft Communications Data Bill.

Witnesses: Charles Farr OBE, Director, Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, Richard Alcock, Director, Communications Capability Directorate, and Peter Hill, Head of Unit, Pursue Policy and Strategy Unit, Home Office.

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

PUBLICATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS

The work of the Local Government Ombudsman: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2012–13 (Second Special Report).

The road to UNFCCC COP 18 and beyond: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2012–13 (Third Special Report).

The Development Situation in Malawi: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2012–13 (Fifth Special Report).

Written Ministerial Statements to be made today

1Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Funding reform.

2Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Operation of the UK’s Counter-Terrorist Asset Freezing Regime: 1 July 2012 to 30 September 2012.

3Secretary of State for the Home Department: Consultation on implementing a Police Pay Review Body.

4Secretary of State for the Home Department: EU Readmission Agreement with Turkey.

5Secretary of State for the Home Department: European Union opt-out decision: Council Regulation on migration from the Schengen Information System (SIS 1+) to the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).

6Secretary of State for the Home Department: Justice and Home Affairs pre-Council Statement.

7Secretary of State for the Home Department: Northern Ireland threat level.

8Secretary of State for the Home Department: Update on College of Policing.