Business Today: Chamber for Thursday 9 January 2014

9.30am Prayers

Followed by

 QUESTIONS

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

1Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury)
What steps he is taking to safeguard trees from the threat of disease. (901854)

2Nigel Mills (Amber Valley)
What assessment he has made of the scope for cutting red tape in the farming industry. (901855)

3Bill Esterson (Sefton Central)
What recent assessment he has made of the sufficiency of flood defences; and if he will make a statement. (901856)

4Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse)
What his Department's latest evaluation is of the badger cull pilots. (901857)

5Grahame M. Morris (Easington)
What progress he has made in requiring water companies to introduce social tariffs; and if he will make a statement. (901858)

6Andrew Griffiths (Burton)
How many cattle were slaughtered as a result of bovine TB in 2013. (901859)

7Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside)
What plans he has to propose changes to the responsibilities of the Food Standards Agency following the Elliott Review into the integrity and assurance of food supply networks. (901861)

8Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South)
What assessment he has made of how easy it is to access and use food banks. (901864)

9Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst)
Whether his Department has any plans to strengthen the enforcement provisions of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010. (901865)

10Jessica Morden (Newport East)
What assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the recent flooding. (901866)

11Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes)
What reports he has received on the recent floods in northern Lincolnshire; and what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on its plans to improve flood defences. (901867)

12Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North)
What assessment he has made of the role of the Rural Community Broadband Fund in enabling the hardest-to-reach areas to gain access to superfast broadband. (901868)

13Graham Evans (Weaver Vale)
How many flood protection schemes have been implemented following receipt of partnership funding. (901869)

14Mr Robin Walker (Worcester)
What estimate he has made of the number of properties protected from flooding during the recent tidal surge. (901871)

15Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall)
What progress has been made in securing an EU discards ban. [R] (901872)

At 10.05am

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

T1Lyn Brown (West Ham)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. (901843)

T2Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (901844)

T3Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse) (901845)

T4Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (901848)

T5Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (901849)

T6Phil Wilson (Sedgefield) (901850)

T7Hugh Bayley (York Central) (901851)

T8Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (901852)

At 10.15am

Oral Questions to the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners and the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

1Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield)
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, If the Commission will take steps to ensure that political parties are fully accountable to the Commission when receiving payment made to candidates for speaking engagements. (901873)

2Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What assessment the Commissioners have made of the Pilling report, published by the House of Bishops Working Group on Human Sexuality in November 2013; and if he will make a statement. (901874)

3Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, What steps the Commission is taking to promote National Voter Registration Day on 5 February 2014. (901875)

4Andrew Stephenson (Pendle)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What steps the Church of England has taken in Lancashire to support the homeless and people in poverty over the Christmas period. (901876)

5Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What progress has been made in the Church of England's campaign to save 100 church treasures. (901877)

6Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What discussions the Commissioners have had with government Ministers on recent trends in the number of violent attacks on clergy. (901878)

7Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What recent steps the Church of England has taken in the St Albans diocese to support the homeless and people in poverty. (901879)

8John Mann (Bassetlaw)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What assistance is available for Grade 1 listed church buildings in need of major repairs. (901880)

9Robert Halfon (Harlow)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What discussions the Commissioners have had with government Departments on the promotion of religious tolerance. (901881)

10Fiona Bruce (Congleton)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What recent assessment the Commissioners have made of difficulties faced by Christians in celebrating Christmas in certain parts of the world. (901882)

 URGENT QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

10.30am

Urgent Questions (if any)

Business Question to the Leader of the House

Ministerial Statements (if any)

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

1. backbench business

Until 5.00pm (Standing Order No. 9(3))

Rural Communities

Miss Anne McIntosh

That this House has considered rural communities.

Relevant documents:

Sixth Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Rural Communities, HC 602, and the Government response, HC 764

Inter-City Rail Investment

Ian Swales

That this House has considered inter-city rail investment.

Notes:

The subjects for both debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee.

2. draft modern slavery bill (joint committee)

No debate after 5.00pm (Standing Order No. 9(6))

Mr Andrew Lansley

That this House concurs with the Lords Message of 18 December 2013, that it is expedient that a Joint Committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider the draft Modern Slavery Bill presented to both Houses on 16 December 2013 (Cm 8770), and that the Committee should report by 10 April 2014.

That a Select Committee of seven Members be appointed to join with the Committee appointed by the Lords;

That the Committee shall have power–

(i) to send for persons, papers and records;

(ii) to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;

(iii) to report from time to time;

(iv) to appoint specialist advisers; and

(v) to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom;

That Fiona Bruce, Michael Connarty, Mr Frank Field, Fiona Mactaggart, Sir John Randall, Mrs Caroline Spelman and Sir Andrew Stunell be members of the Committee.

 ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

Until 5.30pm or for half an hour (whichever is later) (Standing Order No. 9(7))

Future of Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Hospitals Trust: Mike Gapes

BUSINESS TODAY: WESTMINSTER HALL

 ORDER OF BUSINESS

The sitting will last for three hours (Standing Order No. 10(1))

1.30pm

Access to transport for disabled people, Fifth Report from the Transport Committee, HC 116, and the Government response, HC 870

Global Food Security, First Report from the International Development Committee, HC 176, and the Government response, HC 626

Notes:

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

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

The subjects for debate have been chosen by the Liaison Committee.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

 Statements to be made today

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

1.Building Regulations Advisory Committee

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

2.Implementation of Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006

3.Single Payment Scheme–December Indicators

4.Woodland planting

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

5.Triennial Review of the Health and Safety Executive

6.Triennial Review: The Pensions Regulator, the Pensions Advisory Service, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman

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.

 Public Bill Committees

Care Bill [Lords]

To consider the Bill

Room 9

11.30am (public), 2.00pm (public)

 Select Committees

Political and Constitutional Reform

Subject: The constitutional role of the judiciary if there were a codified constitution

Witnesses: Professor Dawn Oliver QC FBA, Professor of Constitutional Law, and Dr Patrick O’Brien, University College London, Professor John Bell, Director, Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge, and Dr Michele Olivier, University of Hull

The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

9.45am (private), 10.00am (public)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Future Departments Answering in Westminster Hall

Week beginning 20 January

Applications for General or Short Debates should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7.00pm or the rise of the House, whichever is the earlier, on Tuesday 14 January. The Ballot will take place on Wednesday 15 January.

Cabinet Office; Communities and Local Government; Culture, Media and Sport; Defence; Energy and Climate Change; Health; Leader of the House; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Treasury; Women and Equalities.

Week beginning 27 January

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Deputy Prime Minister; Education; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Home Office; International Development; Justice; Transport; Wales; Work and Pensions.

 Determination of Business by the Backbench BUSINESS Committee

Monday 13 January in the Chamber

Debate on a motion relating to welfare reforms and poverty: Mr Michael Meacher