Order of Business Wednesday 23 January 2013

+ indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.

House of Commons

Order of Business

At 11.30 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 Northern Ireland

 1 John Mann (Bassetlaw): What recent assessment she has made of the level of anti-semitism in Northern Ireland. (137935)

 2 Lucy Powell (Manchester Central): What assessment she has made of the recent public disorder in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. (137936)

 3 Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down): What discussions she has had with the Irish government on the recent violence in Belfast. (137937)

 4 Ann McKechin (Glasgow North): What assessment she has made of the recent public disorder in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. (137938)

 5 Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): What steps she is taking in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Assembly to address the issues that have given rise to the Union Flag dispute in Belfast. (137939)

 6 Jim Shannon (Strangford): What discussions she has had with the devolved administrations on developing a UK-wide strategy on tackling diabetes. (137940)

 7 Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife): What discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement. (137941)

 8 Andrew Stephenson (Pendle): What the cost to the public purse has been of policing the recent protests and disorder in Northern Ireland. (137942)

 9 Gemma Doyle (West Dunbartonshire): What assessment she has made of the recent public disorder in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. (137943)

 10 Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South): What assessment she has made of the recent violence in Belfast. (137944)

 11 Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire): What discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on attracting inward investment. (137945)

 12 Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): What recent discussions she has had with the First and Deputy First Ministers on implementing the military covenant in Northern Ireland. (137946)

 13 Robert Halfon (Harlow): What recent discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive about economic development. (137947)

At 12 noon

Oral Questions to the Prime Minister

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

 Q1 Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 23 January. (138633)

 Q2 Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington):  (138634)

 Q3 Clive Efford (Eltham):  (138635)

 Q4 Mark Hendrick (Preston):  (138636)

 Q5 Mr Mike Weir (Angus):  (138637)

 Q6 Mark Pawsey (Rugby):  (138638)

 Q7 Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):  (138639)

 Q8 Mr Jack Straw (Blackburn):  (138640)

 Q9 Ian Lavery (Wansbeck):  (138641)

 Q10 Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover):  (138642)

 Q11 Julie Hilling (Bolton West):  (138643)

 Q12 Geraint Davies (Swansea West):  (138644)

 Q13 Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South):  (138645)

 Q14 Helen Jones (Warrington North):  (138646)

 Q15 Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central):  (138647)

At 12.30 pm Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

Preliminary Business

Notice of Presentation of Bill

1 VOTING AGE (REDUCTION TO 16) BILL [No debate]

Stephen Williams

Bill to allow persons aged 16 years or older to vote as electors at parliamentary and local government elections, and in referendums; and for connected purposes.

Formal first reading: no debate or decision.

Ten minute rule Motion

2 ENERGY EFFICIENCY (HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION) [Up to 20 minutes]

Dr Alan Whitehead

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Energy Act 2011 to enable residents of houses in multiple occupation to benefit from the provisions in the Act designed to increase energy efficiency; 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

3 OPPOSITION DAY (15th allotted day) [Until 7.00 pm]

BLACKLISTING

Edward Miliband

Mr Chuka Umunna

Mr Jim Murphy

Maria Eagle

Ian Murray

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House notes that in 2009 the Information Commissioner’s Office raided the Consultation Association which revealed a blacklist and files on more than 3,000 individuals which had been used by more than 40 construction companies to vet individuals and deny people employment for reasons including being a member of a trade union or having raised health and safety concerns and that extensive personal information on individuals and their families was held; recognises that the majority of individuals have still not been informed that they were on the blacklist nor given the opportunity to seek redress, despite recent confirmation that blacklisting checks took place on Olympic construction sites and allegations that the practice took place on public projects including Ministry of Defence sites, Portcullis House and Crossrail; further notes that at recent Scottish Affairs Select Committee hearings on blacklisting the Information Commissioner Investigations Manager raised concerns that there may have been collusion by police officers and security services in the compilation of blacklists; and in addition that it was also alleged at the hearings that a blacklist of environmental activists was compiled; and calls on the Government to immediately begin an investigation into the extent to which blacklisting took place and may be taking place, including on public sector projects, and to ensure that appropriate and effective sanctions are in place to tackle and prevent blacklisting.

Uncorrected oral evidence taken before the Scottish Affairs Committee, on Blacklisting in Employment, HC 156 (i-x), is relevant.

PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR

Edward Miliband

Hilary Benn [R]

Mr Chuka Umunna

Jack Dromey

Chris Williamson

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House recognises the private rented sector’s growing role in meeting housing need; notes that there are 8.5 million people, including more than one million families with children, now renting privately; recognises there are major implications of the growth in this tenure for families and communities in Britain today; notes with concern the lack of protection afforded to tenants and landlords by the unregulated lettings market and the confusing, inconsistent fees and charges charged by letting and management agents; further notes the lack of stability, security and affordability for families and other renters; further notes the increasing number of complaints about rogue landlords and the poor standards in the sector compared with other tenures; calls on the Government to regulate residential lettings and management agents and to end the confusing, inconsistent charges regime, making fees easily understandable, upfront and comparable across agents; further calls on the Government to promote longer term tenancies where tenants want them; and finally calls on the Government to introduce a national register of landlords and empower local authorities to improve standards and deal with rogue landlords.

As an Amendment to Edward Miliband’s proposed Motion (Private Rented Sector):

The Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

Secretary Eric Pickles

Secretary Iain Duncan Smith

Mark Prisk

(a)

Line 1, leave out from ‘recognises’ to end and add ‘the importance of a vibrant private rented sector in providing a diverse range of quality accommodation to those who do not want or currently cannot buy their own home; supports action to be taken against the small minority of rogue landlords, without burdening the whole sector with unnecessary costs; warns that excessive red tape would force up rents, reduce choice for tenants and undermine future investment; believes that the Government should work with councils to promote their wide range of existing legal powers; welcomes the Government’s action against "beds in sheds" criminal landlords and steps to tackle social housing fraud; and supports the Government’s new £200 million "build to rent" fund and the £10 billion in debt guarantees for investment in the long-term rental market.’.

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.

At the end of the sitting:

4 ADJOURNMENT

Proposed subject: Access to postgraduate study and Oxford University (Hazel Blears).

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

COMMITTEES

GRAND COMMITTEES

To consider the First Report of the Commission on Devolution in Wales, Empowerment and Responsibility: Financial Powers to Strengthen Wales.

To consider the First Report of the Commission on Devolution in Wales, Empowerment and Responsibility: Financial Powers to Strengthen Wales.

DELEGATED LEGISLATION COMMITTEES

To consider the draft Public Bodies (Abolition of the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board) Order 2013.

To consider the draft Public Bodies (Water Supply and Water Quality Fees) Order 2012.

SELECT COMMITTEES

Subject: Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.

Witness: Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.

Subject: Department for Education reform.

Witnesses: Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State, and Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education.

Subject: Governance and best practice in workplace pension provision.

Witness: Steve Webb MP, Minister for Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions.

Subject: Department for Energy and Climate Change Annual Report and Accounts.

Witnesses: Rt Hon Edward Davey MP, Secretary of State, Phil Wynn Owen, Interim Permanent Secretary and Accounting Officer, Vanessa Nicholls, Temporary Chief Operating Officer, and Simon Virley, Director General, Energy Markets and Infrastructure, Department for Energy and Climate Change.

Subject: Securing the Future of Afghanistan.

Witnesses: Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence and Lt General Richard Barrons, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations).

Subject: Protecting the Arctic: The Government’s response.

Witnesses: Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund and E3G.

Subject: The Referendum on Separation for Scotland.

Witnesses: Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Royal United Services Institute, and Professor Ron Smith, Department of Economics, Birkbeck College.

Subject: Written question performance of the Department for Education.

Witnesses: Rt Hon Michael Gove, MP, Secretary of State, and Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education.

Subject: The effectiveness of consumer credit regulation.

Witnesses: Clive Maxwell, Chief Executive, and David Fisher, Director of Consumer Credit, Office of Fair Trading and Lesley Titcomb, Acting Chief Operating Officer, Financial Services Authority.

JOINT COMMITTEES

Subject: Panel on tax, audit and accounting.

Witnesses: Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Institute of Taxation; John Preston, PricewaterhouseCoopers, John Cullinane, Deloitte, Christopher Price, Ernst and Young and Jane McCormick, KPMG UK (at 3.00 pm); John Hitchins, PricewaterhouseCoopers, David Barnes, Deloitte, Tony Clifford, Ernst and Young and Mike Ashley, KPMG Europe (at 4.00 pm).

Subject: Draft Care and Support Bill.

Witnesses: NHS Confederation, NHS Alliance and Royal College of General Practitioners; Chartered Institute of Housing, National Housing Federation, Anchor Trust and Midland Heart (at 3.45 pm).

OTHER COMMITTEE

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

PUBLICATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS

Careers guidance for young people: The impact of the new duty on schools (Seventh Report).

Draft Public Bodies (Abolition of Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council) Order 2013 (Fifth Report).

Written Ministerial Statements to be made today

1Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Office of Tax Simplification review of the taxation of pensioners.

2Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Reorganisation of UK Sport and Sport England.

3Secretary of State for Transport: Local major transport schemes.

4Secretary of State for Transport: Permit schemes.

5Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Defined benefit pensions-Call for evidence.