FORTHCOMING BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS
3 FEBRUARY - 7 FEBRUARY

Enquiries about Lords business may be put to the Lords Information Office 0171-219 3107

MONDAY 3 FEBRUARY (2.30pm)

Oral Questions - Fitness to plead under the War Crimes Act 1991 and Attorney General's discretion to enter a "nolle prosequi" (L. Campbell of Alloway); Manufacture and export of landmines (L. Taylor of Gryfe); Benefits of the privatisation of the bus industry (L. Clinton-Davis).

Delegated Legislation - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Compensation Order 1996; Selective Cull (Enforcement of Community Compensation Conditions) Regulations 1996 - Motions to Annul; Potato Industry Development Council Order 1997; Independent Qualified Conveyancers (Scotland) Regulations 1997; Executry Practitioners (Scotland) Regulations 1997 - Motions for Approval.

Legislation - Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Bill [HL] (report stage); Dignity at Work Bill [HL] (report stage); Sundays (Dancing and Licensing) Bill [HL] (committee stage); Police (Insurance of Voluntary Assistants) Bill (second reading); Pharmacists (Fitness to Practise) Bill (second reading); Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Bill (second reading).

TUESDAY 4 FEBRUARY (2.30pm)

Oral Questions - Suitability of the present rail links with the Port of Felixstowe for the growing container traffic (L. Marlesford); Noise-induced deafness in ex-service personnel (L. Ashley of Stoke); Future changes in telephone numbers (L. Campbell of Croy); Deputy Prime Minister's statements and the Government's attitude towards the business community (L. Dubs).

Legislation - Justices of the Peace Bill [HL] (second reading); Firearms (Amendment) Bill (report stage).

Unstarred Question - Regulatory provision and available facilities for recreational aviation (L. Rotherwick).

WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY (2.30pm)

Oral Questions - Support for a two-tier European Exchange Rate Mechanism (V. Waverley); Reinstatement of the Top Flight Bursaries Scheme (L. Tombs); Application by Nirex for underground nuclear waste site in Cumbria (V. Hanworth); Provision of information to passengers of the cheapest and fastest rail journeys available (L. Clinton-Davis).

Debates - Referral of funding of political parties to the Committee on Standards in Public Life (L. Jenkins of Hillhead).

Legislation - Human Rights Bill [HL] (second reading).

THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY (3.00pm)

Oral Questions - Adequacy of provision of medical and nursing services for the Armed Forces (B. Cox); Third World social development policies of the World Bank and the International Development Administration (L. Judd); Encouragement for full registration of qualified voters (L. Hylton).

Legislation - Overseas Domestic Workers (Protection) Bill [HL] (committee stage); Local Government and Rating Bill (second reading); United Nations Personnel Bill (second reading); Public Entertainment Licences (Drug Misuse) Bill (second reading).

Delegated Legislation - Sheffield Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 1997; Industrial Training Levy (Engineering Construction Board) Order 1997; Industrial Training Levy (Construction Board) Order 1997 - Motions for Approval.

PROVISIONAL FUTURE BUSINESS

MONDAY 10 FEBRUARY

Introduction - Lord Bishop of Leicester.

Legislation - Dignity at Work Bill [HL] (third reading); Telecommunications (Fraud) Bill (committee stage); Education Bill (second reading); Criminal Evidence (Amendment) Bill (second reading).

TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY

Legislation - Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Bill [HL] (third reading); Firearms (Amendment) Bill (third reading); Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Bill (second reading).

WEDNESDAY 12 FEBRUARY

Debates - Labour debates.

Legislation - Policyholders Protection Bill (second reading).

THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY

Legislation - Overseas Domestic Workers (Protection) Bill [HL] (third reading); Crime (Sentences) Bill (committee stage - first day).

Unstarred Question - Impact of wind farms on the environment (V. Tenby).

MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY

Legislation - Social Security (Benefit Fraud) Bill (second reading - if brought from the Commons).

TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY

Legislation - Crime (Sentences) Bill (committee stage - second day).

WEDNESDAY 19 FEBRUARY

Debates - Balloted debates.

THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY

Legislation - Crime (Sentences) Bill (committee stage - third day).

HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEES:
PUBLIC MEETINGS

Meetings of the following Committees (and their sub-committees) only are listed: Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee; European Communities; Public Service; Science & Technology.

TUESDAY 4 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Select Committee 4.15pm

Evidence: From the Rt Hon the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on the Dublin European Council.

PUBLIC SERVICE, COMMITTEE ON 4.15pm

Evidence: From the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.

WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee C (Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection) 10.45am

Evidence: From (i) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, (ii) the Council for the Protection of Rural England, (iii) Friends of the Earth, (iv) the World Wide Fund for Nature and (v) the European Environmental Bureau, on Environmental Policy: Monitoring, Enforcement and Transparency.

Sub-Committee D (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) 11.15am

Evidence: From the National Farmers Union.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee II (Innovation-Exploitation Barrier) 10.45am

Evidence: From (i) Mr M. Heath, Director General, the Engineering Council and (ii) the British Technology Group PLC.

THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs) 4.15pm

Evidence may be heard.

PROVISIONAL FUTURE BUSINESS

TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee A (Economic and Financial Affairs, Trade and External Relations) 10.30am

Evidence: From Sr Miguel Arias Canete, Chairman, Regional Policy Committee, European Parliament and (ii) the Rt Hon Ian Lang MP, President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

WEDNESDAY 12 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee D (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) 10.30am

Evidence will be heard on the Production and Marketing of Honey.

Sub-Committee C (Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection) 10.45am

Evidence: From (i) the European Environment Agency and (ii) the UK Environmental Law Association, on Environmental Policy: Monitoring, Enforcement and Transparency.

THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs) 4.15pm

Evidence may be heard.

TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY

PUBLIC SERVICE, COMMITTEE ON 4.15pm

Evidence: From the Rt Hon the Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish, Minister of State for Social Security.

WEDNESDAY 19 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee C (Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection) 10.45am

Evidence: From (i) English Nature, (ii) the Countryside Council for Wales and (iii) the Institute for European Environmental Policy, on Environmental Policy: Monitoring, Enforcement and Transparency.

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Sub-Committee C (Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection) 11.00am

Evidence: From Directorate-General XI of the European Commission, on Environmental Policy: Monitoring, Enforcement and Transparency.