Business Today: Chamber for Wednesday 16 October 2013

11.30am Prayers

Followed by

 QUESTIONS

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

1 David Mowat (Warrington South)
What assessment her Department has made of the role of the voluntary sector in dealing with the legacy of the past. (900418)

2 Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East)
What recent discussions she has had with the Justice Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive on the remit of the National Crime Agency in Northern Ireland. (900419)

3 Lorraine Fullbrook (South Ribble)
What discussions she has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland about recent disturbances in Northern Ireland. (900420)

4 Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire)
What steps the Government is taking to strengthen the Northern Ireland economy. (900421)

5 Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East)
What her policy is on the Northern Ireland economy; and if she will make a statement. (900422)

6 Neil Carmichael (Stroud)
What assessment she has made of the recent meeting of the Northern Ireland Grand Committee. (900424)

7 Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East)
What assessment she has made of the effects of social security reforms on levels of child and family poverty in Northern Ireland since 2010. (900425)

8 Guy Opperman (Hexham)
How credit unions are being used to combat fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. (900426)

9 Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon)
What discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on economic development. (900427)

10 Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith)
What recent assessment she has made of co-operation between the UK and Irish governments in relation to cross-border issues. (900428)

11 Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton)
What plans she has to support Derry/Londonderry following the city's year as UK City of Culture. (900429)

12 Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire)
What assessment she has made of the Government's implementation of its responsibilities under the Good Friday Agreement. (900430)

13 Mr David Hanson (Delyn)
What discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for the Home Department and (b) the Justice Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive on the operation of the National Crime Agency in Northern Ireland. (900431)

14 Andrew Stephenson (Pendle)
What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. (900432)

At 12.00 pm

Oral Questions to the Prime Minister

Q1 Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central)
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 16 October. (900498)

Q2 Mark Durkan (Foyle) (900499)

Q3 Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (900500)

Q4 Clive Efford (Eltham) (900501)

Q5 Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (900502)

Q6 Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (900503)

Q7 Lorely Burt (Solihull) (900504)

Q8 Mr Dominic Raab (Esher and Walton) (900505)

Q9 Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (900506)

Q10 Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (900507)

Q11 Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (900508)

Q12 Ann McKechin (Glasgow North) (900509)

Q13 Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (900510)

Q14 Simon Kirby (Brighton, Kemptown) (900511)

Q15 Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (900512)

 

 URGENT QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

12.30pm

Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

1. gibraltar (maritime protection): TEN MINUTE RULE MOTION

Up to 20 minutes (Standing Order No. 23 )

David Morris

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision to protect the seas around Gibraltar; and for connected purposes.

Notes:

The Member moving and a Member opposing this Motion may each speak for up to 10 minutes.

2. OPPOSITION DAY (7th ALLOTTED DAY)

Until 7.00pm (Standing Order No. 9(3) )

Zero hours contracts

Edward Miliband

Mr Chuka Umunna

Ian Murray

Ed Balls

Ms Harriet Harman

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House notes the marked rise in the use of zero hours contracts with recent estimates that as many as a million employees are employed on them and that they are used in over a quarter of workplaces, contributing to growing insecurity for families across the UK; and therefore calls on the Government to initiate a full consultation and formal call for evidence on the use of zero hours contracts and on proposals to prevent abuses by employers of such contracts, for example, by stopping employees on zero hours contracts being required to work exclusively for one employer, stopping the use of contracts that require zero hour workers to be available on the off-chance they are needed but with no guarantee of work, banning the use of zero hours contracts where employees are in practice working regular hours and putting in place a code of practice on the use of zero hours contracts.

High streets and change of use orders

Edward Miliband

Hilary Benn

Roberta Blackman-Woods

Andy Sawford

Mr Chuka Umunna

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House recognises that high streets and town and city centres are vital to local economies; acknowledges that many small businesses and retailers are struggling under the pressure of business rates rises; notes that since 2010 shop vacancy rates have remained at over 14 per cent but that there has been a 20 per cent increase in numbers of payday loan shops and a three per cent increase in numbers of betting shops in the last year; is concerned that recent changes to permitted development rights and use classes are likely to lead to an over-concentration of betting shops and payday loan companies in many areas, against the wishes of local people and businesses; and calls on the Government to give local communities a greater say over the shape of their own high streets and town and city centres, including control over use classes, to help encourage the more widespread use of neighbourhood planning and greater co-operation between local communities and businesses and to cut and then freeze business rates from 2015 to help small businesses on UK high streets and town and city centres.

Relevant documents:

Uncorrected transcripts of oral evidence taken before the Communities and Local Government Committee on 17 June 2013, HC 309-i, and 2 September 2013, HC 612-i.

Notes:

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

MOTIONS TO BE TAKEN AT 7.00PM

DEFERRED DIVISIONS

No debate ( Standing Order No. 41A(3))

The Prime Minister

That, at this day’s sitting, Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply to the Motion relating to Civil Aviation Safety.

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

3. CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY

No debate (Standing Order No. 119(11) )

Mr Robert Goodwill

That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 12864/13, a draft Commission Regulation (EU) No. .../… of XXX amending Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council; notes that the Government recognises the importance of managing crew fatigue to support civil aviation safety; supports the Government’s view that the measures will establish safety improvements across the European Union and maintain safety in the UK; and further supports the Government’s view that the measures respect subsidiarity principles and help to deliver a level playing field across the EU.

4. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

No debate (Standing Order No. 118(6) )

Secretary Jeremy Hunt

That the draft National Health Service (Licence Exemptions, etc.) Regulations 2013, which were laid before this House on 4 July, be approved.

Notes:

If this item is opposed after 7.00pm, the division will be deferred.

 PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PETITIONS

No debate or decision (Standing Order No. 153)

Privatisation of the Probation Service: Mr Nicholas Brown

 ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

Until 7.30pm or for half an hour (whichever is later) (Standing Order No. 9(7))

Ansford railway bridge and the closure of the A371: Mr David Heath

 

 

BUSINESS TODAY: WESTMINSTER HALL

 ORDER OF BUSINESS

The first part of the sitting will last for two hours. The second part of the sitting will last for two and a half hours (Standing Order N o. 10(1))

9.30am

Improving access to psychological therapies: James Morris

11.00am

Tolling proposals and the A14: Dr Thérèse Coffey

Notes:

The sitting will be suspended from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

2.30pm

The practice of blacklisting: Glenda Jackson

4.00pm

Living standards in North Wales: Chris Ruane

4.30pm

Badger vaccines: David Morris

Relevant documents:

Second Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Session 2012-13, on Vaccination against Bovine TB, HC 258, and the Government’s response, HC 705, Session 2013-14.

Notes:

The debate will arise on a motion for the adjournment, to be moved by a Minister.

The second part of the sitting will be suspended and time added if divisions take place in the main Chamber (Standing Order No. 10(1)).

 

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

 Statements to be made today

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

1 . Private rented sector

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

2 . Foreign Affairs and General Affairs Councils: 21-22 October 2013

Notes:

Texts of Written Statements are available from the Vote Office and on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-written-statements/.

 

COMMITTEES MEETING TODAY

The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be changed without notice.

 Select Committees

Science and Technology

Subject: Women in STEM careers

Witnesses: Dr Bryn Jones, Visiting Fellow, School of Physics, University of Bristol, Jenny Marsden, Principal Physicist, Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust, and Dr Nicola Patron, Head, Synthetic Biology, Sainsbury Laboratory

The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

9.00am (private), 9.15am (public)

Education

Room 5

9.15am (private)

Justice

Subject: (i) Ministry of Justice measures in the JHA block opt-out; (ii) Transforming Legal Aid

Witnesses: (i) Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and Rebecca Stimson, Deputy Director, International Policy, Ministry of Justice; (ii) Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and Hugh Barrett, Director of Legal Aid, Commissioning and Strategy, Ministry of Justice (at 10.15am)

The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

9.15am (private), 9.30am (public)

Public Administration

Subject: Complaints: do they make a difference?

Witness : Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Minister for Government Policy, Cabinet Office

Room 15

9.15am (private), 9.30am (public)

Work and Pensions

Subject: The role of Jobcentre Plus in the reformed welfare system

Witnesses: Citizens Advice, Local Government Association and London Councils

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

9.15am (private), 9.30am (public)

European Scrutiny

Room 19

2.00pm (private)

Finance and Services

Room 13

2.00pm (private)

Public Accounts

Subject: HMRC Standard Report Part 1

Witnesses: Lin Homer CB, Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary, Ruth Owen, Director General Personal Tax, Simon Bowles, Chief Finance Officer, and Nick Lodge, Director General Benefits Tax, HM Revenue and Customs

Room 16

2.00pm (private), 2.15pm (public)

Northern Ireland Affairs

Subject: The banking structure in Northern Ireland

Witnesses: Wilfred Mitchell OBE, Northern Ireland Policy Chairman, and Roger Pollen, Head of External Affairs NI, Federation of Small Businesses

Room 5

2.15pm (private), 2.30pm (public)

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Subject: Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity

Witnesses: National Trust, Country Land and Business Association, and National Farmers Union; The Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust, and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (at 3.45pm)

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

2.30pm (private), 3.00pm (public)

Defence

Subject: The work of the Chief of the Defence Staff

Witness : General Sir Nick Houghton, GCB CBE ADC, Chief of the Defence Staff

Room 15

3.00pm (private), 3.30pm (public)

Health

Subject: Management of long-term conditions

Witnesses: Professor Alan Silman, Medical Director and Director of Policy and Health Promotion, Arthritis Research UK, Baroness Young of Old Scone, Chief Executive, Diabetes UK, and Dr Peter Aitken, Chair, Faculty of Liaison Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists; Liz McAnulty, Trustee, The Patients Association, and Don Redding, Director of Policy, National Voices (at 4.30pm)

Room 6

3.00pm (private), 3.30pm (public)

Statutory Instruments

Room 7

As soon as convenient after 3.45pm (private)

Selection

Room 13

4.45pm (private)

 Joint Committees

Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill

Subject: Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill

Witnesses: Nick Hardwick, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons; Eoin McLennan Murray, President, Prison Governors Association, Paul McDowell, Chief Executive, NACRO, and Digby Griffith, Director of National Operations Services, National Offenders Management Service (at 10.15am)

Room 6

9.30am (private), 9.35am (public)

Human Rights

Room 3A

9.30am (private)

Statutory Instruments

Room 7

3.45pm (private)

Draft Deregulation Bill

Subject: Draft Deregulation Bill

Witnesses: Government Department Officials; Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission (at 5.10pm)

Room 2

4.00pm (private), 4.10pm (public)

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS PUBLISHED TODAY

 COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

4th Report: Post-legislative scrutiny of the Greater London Authority Act 2007 and the London Assembly, HC 213

Time of publication: 00.01am

 PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

20th Report: The BBC’s move to Salford, HC 293

Time of publication: 00 .01am

 EDUCATION

3rd Special Report: School sport following London 2012: No more political football: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2013-14, HC 723

Time of publication: 11.0 0am

 ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

3rd Special Report: Vaccination against bovine TB: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2013-14, HC 705

Time of publication: 11 .00 am

4th Special Report: Managing Flood Risk: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2013-14, HC 706

Time of publication: 11 .00 am

 NORTHERN IRELAND AFFAIRS

1st Special Report: Implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2013-14, HC 721

Time of publication: 11.00am

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 FORTHCOMING END OF DAY ADJOURNMENT DEBATES

Tuesday 22 October to Monday 28 October

Applications should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7.00pm or rise of the House, whichever is the earlier, on Wednesday 16 October. The Ballot will take place on Thursday 17 October.

 FUTURE DEPARTMENTS ANSWERING IN WESTMINSTER HALL

Week beginning Monday 28 October

The following Departments will answer:

Business, Innovation and Skills; Communities and Local Government; Defence; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Health; International Development; Justice; Leader of the House; Scotland; Transport; Treasury; Wales

 Determination of Business by the Backbench business Committee

Monday 21 October in the Chamber

General debate on the future of the BBC: Alun Cairns, Steve Brine and Dame Angela Watkinson

Motion relating to the state of natural capital in England and Wales: Mr Graham Stuart

Thursday 24 October in the Chamber

Motion relating to the FCA redress scheme for the mis-selling of interest rate swap derivatives: Guto Bebb, Mark Garnier and Mr Gary Streeter

General debate on aviation strategy: Mrs Louise Ellman

Thursday 24 October in Westminster Hall

General debate on planning, housing supply and the countryside: Mr Laurence Robertson, Mrs Anne Main and Nick Herbert.

Notes:

The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee; it replaces the previously scheduled debate on free school meals, which has been cancelled.