Business Today: Chamber for Monday 17 March 2014

2.30pm Prayers

Followed by

 QUESTIONS

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

1Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire)
What steps he is taking to support small contractors in military procurement. (903043)

2Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields)
What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on staff pay and conditions in the new DE&S model. (903044)

3Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth)
What progress his Department has made on its planned increase in the activity of reserves in Cornwall. (903046)

4Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal)
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of military assistance provided to civil authorities during recent flooding. (903047)

5Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon)
What plans he has to increase employment opportunities for the spouses of armed forces personnel. (903048)

6Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire)
What recent progress he has made on the Army 2020 proposals. (903049)

7Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire)
What progress he has made on using funding from LIBOR fines to benefit former and serving military personnel. (903050)

8Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife)
What recent assessment he has made of the economic effects on West Fife of the Queen Elizabeth class carrier programme. (903051)

9Andrew Stephenson (Pendle)
What progress he has made on using funding from LIBOR fines to benefit former and serving military personnel. (903053)

10Jason McCartney (Colne Valley)
What discussions he has had with his counterparts in NATO member states in preparation for the NATO summit in September 2014. (903054)

11Mr Dominic Raab (Esher and Walton)
What steps he is taking to strengthen the armed forces covenant. (903055)

12Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
What progress his Department has made on its procurement of three new offshore patrol vessels from BAE Systems. (903056)

13Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough)
What effect the Army 2020 review has had on the operational capability of the armed forces. (903057)

14Martin Horwood (Cheltenham)
What steps his Department is taking to support conflict prevention; and if he will make a statement. (903058)

15Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran)
What recent progress his Department has made on its response to the internal radiation leak aboard HMS Vanguard; and if he will make a statement. (903059)

16Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk)
What steps he plans to take to ensure that human rights legislation does not apply to troops deployed in combat operations. (903060)

17Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak)
What recent progress he has made on upgrading army helicopter capability; and if he will make a statement. (903061)

18Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East)
What arrangements have been made for the withdrawal of UK personnel and heavy equipment from Afghanistan through Russian territory; and if he will make a statement. (903062)

19Graham Evans (Weaver Vale)
What plans he has to increase employment opportunities for the spouses of armed forces personnel. (903063)

20Mark Pawsey (Rugby)
What steps he is taking to increase opportunities for injured service personnel to participate in competitive sporting events. (903064)

21Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge)
What steps his Department is taking to support conflict prevention. (903065)

22Henry Smith (Crawley)
When the British Army plans to begin flying Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles. (903066)

23Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire)
What steps he is taking to improve the Army's recruitment process. (903067)

At 3.15pm

Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

T1Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. (903069)

T2Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (903070)

T3Richard Graham (Gloucester) (903071)

T4Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (903072)

T5Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (903073)

T6Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (903074)

T7Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (903075)

T8Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (903076)

T9Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) (903077)

 URGENT QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

3.30pm

Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

1. CO-OPERATIVE AND COMMUNITY BENEFIT SOCIETIES BILL [LORDS]: SECOND READING

No debate (Standing Order No. 58)

Notes:

Remaining Stages will also be taken. Because the Bill is a consolidation bill, under Standing Order No. 58, all questions will be put without debate and a Minister may move without notice that the Bill be not committed.

2. PENSIONS BILL: WAYS AND MEANS (nO. 2)

Up to 45 minutes (Standing Order No. 52(1)(b))

Sajid Javid

That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Pensions Bill, it is expedient to authorise the levying of charges under the Pensions Schemes Act 1993 for the purpose of meeting expenditure of the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs under or by virtue of the Act.

3. PENSIONS BILL: PROGRAMME (NO. 3)

No debate (Standing Order No. 83A(7))

Secretary Iain Duncan Smith

That the following provisions shall apply to the Pensions Bill for the purpose of supplementing the Orders of 17 June 2013 (Pensions Bill (Programme)) and 29 October 2013 (Pensions Bill (Programme) (No. 2)):

Consideration of Lords Amendments

(1) Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after their commencement at today’s sitting.

Subsequent stages

(2) Any further Message from the Lords may be considered forthwith without any Question being put.

(3) The proceedings on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement.

4. PENSIONS BILL: CONSIDERATION OF LORDS AMENDMENTS

Up to three hours (if the Pensions Bill Programme (No. 3) Motion is agreed to)

Notes:

Proceedings will be taken in accordance with the Pensions Bill Programme (No. 3) Motion if it is agreed to by the House.

Lords Amendments Nos. 1, 3, 9 to 13, 15 to 23, 27, 29 and 32 to 38 engage financial privilege.

For amendments, see separate paper (also available on the documents webpage for the Bill).

5. PAYMENT SCHEME (MESOTHELIOMA)

Up to 90 minutes (Standing Order No. 16(1))

Secretary Iain Duncan Smith

That the draft Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme Regulations 2014, which were laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.

MOTION TO BE TAKEN AT 10.00PM

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 in the name of Secretary Iain Duncan Smith relating to Payment Scheme (Mesothelioma).

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

6. business of the house (18 march)

No debate after 10.00pm (Standing Order No. 9(6))

Mr Andrew Lansley

That at the sitting on Tuesday 18 March:

(1) proceedings on the motion in the name of the Prime Minister relating to Ukraine may continue for three hours and shall then lapse if not previously disposed of; and

(2) notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 16 (Proceedings under an Act or on European Union documents), the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the motions in the name of Secretary Eric Pickles relating to Local Government not later than three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the first such motion; proceedings on those motions may continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.

 PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PETITIONS

No debate or decision (Standing Order No. 153)

Bingo duty: Dr Thérèse Coffey

 ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

Until 10.30pm or for half an hour (whichever is later) (Standing Order No. 9(7))

Transport infrastructure in the south of England: Caroline Dinenage

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

 Statements to be made today

Minister for the Cabinet Office

1.City Deal

2.Deregulation Bill

3.Publication of Open Public Services progress report 2014

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

4.Double Taxation Convention Between United Kingdom and Belgium

Secretary of State for Defence

5.Chemical Weapons Convention–Declaration of Protective Programmes

Secretary of State for Transport

6.Higgins Review

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.

 Delegated Legislation Committees

First Delegated Legislation Committee

To consider the draft Public Bodies (Merger of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions) Order 2014

Room 9

4.30pm (public)

Second Delegated Legislation Committee

To consider the draft Climate Change Levy (Fuel Use and Recycling Processes) (Amendment) Regulations 2014

Room 10

4.30pm (public)

Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee

To consider the draft Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) (Knowledge of English) Order 2014

Room 12

4.30pm (public)

 Select Committees

Public Accounts

Subject: Criminal justice system: landscape review

Witnesses: Dame Ursula Brennan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mark Sedwill, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, and Peter Lewis, Chief Executive, Crown Prosecution Service

Room 15

3.00pm (private), 3.15pm (public)

Communities and Local Government

Subject: Local Government Chief Officers’ remuneration

Witnesses: Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive, TaxPayers’ Alliance, Duncan Brown, Principal, Performance, Reward and Talent, AON Hewitt; Will Hutton, author of Fair Pay in the Public Sector Report, Charles Cotton, Performance and Reward Advisor, CIPD, and Councillor Jim McMahon, Chair of the Workforce Board, Local Government Association (at 5.15pm)

The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

4.00pm (private), 4.15pm (public)

Transport

Subject: Offshore helicopter safety

Witnesses: Keith Conradi, Chief of Inspectors, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Mark Swan, Director, Safety, Airspace and Regulation Group, and Chester Armstrong, Helicopter Specialist, Civil Aviation Authority, and Trevor Woods, Approvals and Standardisation Director, European Aviation Safety Agency; Robert Goodwill, MP, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State, and Tricia Hayes, Director of Aviation, Department for Transport (at 4.50pm)

The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

4.00pm (private), 4.05pm (public)

Public Administration

Subject: Citizen and public services

Witnesses: Rt Hon David Laws MP, Minister of State, and Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Minister for Government Policy, Cabinet Office

Room 8

4.15pm (private), 4.30pm (public)

Work and Pensions

Subject: Fraud and error in the benefits system

Witnesses: Local Authority Investigation Officers Group, Local Government Association, and National Housing Federations

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

4.15pm (private), 4.30pm (public)

Administration

Room 16

4.30pm (private)

COMMITTEE REPORTS PUBLISHED

 PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

47th Report: Contracting out public services to the private sector, HC 777

Date and time of publication: Friday 14 March 00.01am

 SCOTTISH AFFAIRS

6th Report: Blacklisting in Employment: addressing the crimes of the past; moving towards best practice, HC 543

Date and time of publication: Friday 14 March 00.01am

7th Report: The Referendum on Separation for Scotland: the impact on higher education, research and tuition fees, HC 1144

Date and time of publication: Sunday 16 March 00.01am

 JOINT COMMITTEE ON STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

23rd Report, HC 166-xxiii

Date and time of publication: Friday 14 March 10.30am

 EUROPEAN SCRUTINY

40th Report, HC 83-xxxvii

Date and time of publication: Friday 14 March 11.00am

 Transport

12th Report: Future programme 2014, HC 1143

Date and time of publication: Friday 14 March 11.00am

16th Special Report: Ready and waiting? Transport preparations for winter weather: Government Response to the Committee’s Tenth Report of Session 2013–14, HC 1139

Date and time of publication: Monday 17 March 09.00am

 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

10th Report: Statistics and Open Data: Harvesting unused knowledge, empowering citizens and improving public services, HC 564

Date and time of publication: Monday 17 March 00.01am

 HOME AFFAIRS

6th Special Report: The work of the UK Border Agency (January–March 2013): Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2013–14, HC 1130

Date and time of publication: Monday 17 March 09.00am

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Forthcoming End of Day Adjournment Debates

Tuesday 25 March to Monday 31 March

Applications should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7pm or rise of the House, whichever is the earlier, on Wednesday 19 March. The Ballot will take place on Thursday 20 March.

 Future Departments Answering in Westminster Hall

Week beginning 24 March

Applications for General or Short Debates should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7pm or the rise of House, whichever is the earlier, on Tuesday 18 March. The Ballot will take place on Wednesday 19 March.

Communities and Local Government; Defence; Energy and Climate Change; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Health; Justice; Leader of the House; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Transport; Work and Pensions.

Week beginning 31 March

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Cabinet Office; Culture, Media and Sport; Deputy Prime Minister; Education; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Home Office; International Development; Treasury; Wales; Women and Equalities.

 Determination of Business by the Backbench BUSINESS Committee

Thursday 20 March in Westminster Hall

Contribution of women to the ordained ministry of the Church of England: Mrs Caroline Spelman

Notes:

The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee.