Business Today: Chamber for Thursday 30 October 2014

9.30am Prayers

Followed by

 QUESTIONS

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

1Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge and West Devon)
What steps she is taking to ensure that the Marine Management Organisation receives additional quotas of ray. (905738)

2Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North)
What plans she has to reduce water bills. (905739)

3Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole)
What recent representations she has received on the Marine Charter and marine protected areas. (905740)

4Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North)
What steps she is taking to ensure that communities affected by flooding recover. (905742)

5Roger Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire)
What part her Department has played in negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. (905743)

6Paul Flynn (Newport West)
How many badgers were killed in the recent pilot culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset. (905744)

7Wayne David (Caerphilly)
What steps she is taking to promote adaptation to climate change. (905745)

8Peter Aldous (Waveney)
How many flood protection schemes are beginning construction in 2014. (905746)

9Mr Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
What steps she is taking to support local authorities tackling air pollution in urban areas. (905748)

10Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest)
What recent progress she has made on improving the cleanliness of rivers and beaches. (905749)

11Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham)
What progress she is making in reducing the burden of regulation on farmers. (905751)

12Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside)
What steps she is taking to promote adaptation to climate change. (905752)

13Stephen Mosley (City of Chester)
What plans she has to protect plants and wildlife in the UK. (905753)

14Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes)
What assessment she has made of the merits of recent proposals to strengthen flood defences in the Humber Estuary. (905754)

15David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale)
What progress she is making in reducing the burden of regulation on farmers. (905755)

16Mr David Jones (Clwyd West)
How many British food and drink products have protected status. (905757)

At 10.05am

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

T1Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East)
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities. (905758)

T2Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (905759)

T3Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (905760)

T4Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (905761)

T5Ann McKechin (Glasgow North) (905764)

T6Mr Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow) (905765)

T7Guy Opperman (Hexham) (905766)

T8Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest) (905767)

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, and the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission

1Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering)
To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, What process the Commission would expect to be followed to address the recent issues highlighted by the National Audit Office's recent report, Managing and Removing Foreign National Offenders. (905728)

2Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What assessment the Church of England has made of the potential effects of Clause 2 of the Bishops and Priests (Consecrational Ordination of Women) Measure on women. (905729)

3Mr David Nuttall (Bury North)
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, What estimate the Commission has made of the number of postal votes which arrived late and were not included in the official count at recent elections. (905731)

4Fiona Bruce (Congleton)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What steps the Church of England is taking to help tackle extremism in the UK and overseas. (905732)

5Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, How many episcopal vacancies he expects there to be in the next 12 months. (905733)

6Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What guidance the Commissioners follow when making investments; and if he will make a statement. (905734)

7Ann McKechin (Glasgow North)
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, What recent progress has been made in the transition to individual voter registration in Scotland. (905735)

8John Mann (Bassetlaw)
To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, What assessment the Commission has made of the additional needs of people with (a) substance addiction, (b) sight impairment and (c) low levels of literacy in seeking to apply for a postal vote. (905736)

9Andrew Stephenson (Pendle)
To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, What steps the Church of England is taking to help tackle extremism in the UK and overseas. (905737)

 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))

UK drugs policy

Caroline Lucas

Dr Julian Huppert

Mr Bob Ainsworth

That this House notes that drug-related harms and the costs to society remain high; further notes that the independent UK Drugs Policy Commission highlighted the fact that Government is spending around £3 billion a year on policies that are often counter-productive; believes that an evidence-based approach is required in order for Parliament and the Government to pursue the most effective drugs policy in the future; welcomes the recommendation of the Home Affairs Select Committee in its Ninth Report of 2012-13, HC 184, that the Government consider all the alternatives to the UK’s failing drug laws and learn from countries that have adopted a more evidence-based approach; notes that the Government has responded positively to this recommendation and is in the process of conducting an international comparators study to consider the effectiveness of national drug policies adopted by a range of countries; and calls on the Government to conduct an authoritative and independent cost-benefit analysis and impact assessment of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and to publish the results of those studies within the next 12 months.

Sale of park homes

Annette Brooke

That this House calls on the Government to set up a review of the current fee of up to 10 per cent of the sale price of a park home payable to the park home site owner.

Notes:

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

 ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

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

Coventry’s general practices: Mr Geoffrey Robinson

BUSINESS TODAY: WESTMINSTER HALL

 ORDER OF BUSINESS

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

1.30pm

Scrutiny of Arms Exports and Arms Controls (2014), First Joint Report from the Committees on Arms Export Controls, HC 186, and the Government response, Cm 8935

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 subject for debate was chosen by the Liaison Committee.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

 Statements to be made today

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

1.The Financial Policy Committee’s housing market tools

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

2.Better Care Fund

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

3.Afghanistan Monthly Progress Report for September 2014

Secretary of State for Health

4.Triennial reviews of non-Departmental public bodies

Secretary of State for the Home Department

5.Drugs policy

6.Equality (The British-Irish Visa Scheme–Indian and Chinese citizens) Authorisation 2014

Secretary of State for Justice

7.Inquests into the deaths of service personnel on operations and exercises overseas

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

8.Employment and Support Allowance

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

Pension Schemes Bill

Further to consider the Bill

Room 12

11.30am (public)

Pension Schemes Bill

Further to consider the Bill

Room 12

2.00pm (public)

Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill

Further to consider the Bill

Room 10

11.30am (public)

Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill

Further to consider the Bill

Room 10

2.00pm (public)

 Delegated Legislation Committees

First Delegated Legislation Committee

To consider the draft Broadcasting (Independent Productions) (Amendment) Order 2014

Room 9

11.30am (public)

 Select Committees

High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill

Subject: High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill

Witnesses: Ian and Elizabeth Strachan; Ronald and Pauline Hughes

Room 5

9.20am (private), 9.30am (public)

COMMITTEE REPORTS PUBLISHED TODAY

 DEFENCE

4th Report: The Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 5: Military Casualties, a review of progress, HC 527

Time of publication: 00.01am

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Future Departments Answering in Westminster Hall

Week beginning 10 November

Applications for General or Short Debates should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7pm or rise of the House, whichever is the earlier, on Tuesday 4 November. The Ballot will take place on Wednesday 5 November.

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Cabinet Office; Deputy Prime Minister; Energy and Climate Change; Home Office; International Development; Leader of the House; Transport; Treasury; Wales; Work and Pensions.

Week beginning 17 November

Communities and Local Government; Culture, Media and Sport; Defence; Education; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Health; Justice; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Women and Equalities.

Week beginning 24 November

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Cabinet Office; Deputy Prime Minister; Energy and Climate Change; Home Office; International Development; Leader of the House; Transport; Treasury; Wales; Work and Pensions.

 Determination of Business by the Backbench BUSINESS Committee

Thursday 6 November in the Chamber

General debate on UK foreign policy towards Iran: Mr Jack Straw, Mr Richard Bacon

General debate on promotion of the living wage: Chris White

Thursday 6 November in Westminster Hall

General debate on US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement: Jeremy Corbyn, Dr Julian Lewis