Business Today: Chamber for Monday 8 December 2014

2.30pm Prayers

Followed by

 QUESTIONS

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

1Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty)
What estimate he has made of the number of people in full-time employment in the last 12 months. (906473)

2Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South)
If he will make it his policy to pay employment and support allowance during the period of mandatory reconsideration. (906474)

3John Pugh (Southport)
What his policy is on the freezing of pensions of British nationals living abroad; and if he will make a statement. (906475)

4Simon Kirby (Brighton, Kemptown)
What steps he has taken to increase support for heads of households in the workplace. (906476)

5Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North)
What the average time taken is for a decision on an award of personal independence payment. (906477)

6Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock)
What comparative assessment he has made of unemployment rates in the UK and other European countries. (906478)

7David Rutley (Macclesfield)
What steps his Department is taking to help unemployed people find work and start their own business. (906479)

8Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire)
What recent assessment he has made of levels of youth unemployment. (906480)

9John Healey (Wentworth and Dearne)
What legal costs his Department has incurred in legal proceedings involving disabled people relating to the under-occupancy penalty and the closure of the independent living fund. (906481)

10Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington)
What estimate he made of the potential savings to the public purse that would arise from implementation of the under-occupancy penalty; and what estimate he has made of the amount saved to date by that implementation. (906482)

11Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton)
What steps he has taken to accelerate the processing of personal independence payment applications. (906483)

12Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East)
What estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on in-work housing benefit for migrant workers from the European Economic Area who have arrived in the UK within the last (a) six, (b) 12 and (c) 24 months. (906484)

13Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire)
What steps he is taking to help unemployed adults with disabilities to secure and sustain employment or self-employment. (906485)

14Mark Menzies (Fylde)
What steps his Department is taking to help unemployed people find work and start their own business. (906486)

15Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk)
What estimate he has made of the annual change in unemployment in North West Norfolk constituency over the last three years. (906487)

16Richard Graham (Gloucester)
What recent assessment he has made of levels of youth unemployment. (906488)

17Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
What steps he plans to take to support older people experiencing long-term unemployment. (906489)

18Stella Creasy (Walthamstow)
What steps he is taking to ensure that child maintenance is paid to parents with care in separated families. (906491)

19Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds)
Whether changes to the payment in the UK to non-UK EU nationals of in-work benefits requires changes to any EU treaties. (906492)

20Steve Baker (Wycombe)
What steps he has taken to help small businesses prepare for automatic enrolment. (906494)

21Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell)
What assessment he has made of trends in the level of welfare expenditure over the last ten years. (906495)

22Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East)
What his plans are for achieving projected spending totals for working age benefits. (906496)

At 3.15pm

Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

T1Mr Douglas Carswell (Clacton)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. (906498)

T2Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (906499)

T3Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (906501)

T4Sir George Young (North West Hampshire) (906502)

T5Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (906503)

T6Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (906504)

T7Chris White (Warwick and Leamington) (906505)

T8Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (906506)

T9Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central) (906507)

 URGENT QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

3.30pm

Urgent Questions (if any)

Ministerial Statements (if any)

 BUSINESS OF THE DAY

1. INFRASTRUCTURE BILL [LORDS]: SECOND READING

Until 10.00pm (Standing Order No. 9(3))

Amendment (a)

Mr Mike Weir

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

Stewart Hosie

Hywel Williams

Pete Wishart

Jonathan Edwards

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeilDr Eilidh WhitefordAngus Robertson

That this House declines to give a second reading to the Infrastructure Bill because it introduces a measure to allow companies involved in hydraulic fracking to drill and to carry out their operations beneath land without the consent of the owners, that it also make a substantial amendment to the law of heritable property in Scotland, which is a devolved matter, without seeking the agreement of the Scottish Parliament, and in so doing breaches the Sewel Convention, and, with regard to such developments in Wales, because it fails to grant any provision for the National Assembly for Wales to impose any condition they deem appropriate on such operations.

Amendment (b)

Edward Miliband

Michael Dugher

Caroline Flint

Hilary Benn

Richard Burden

Ms Rosie Winterton

That this House declines to give a second reading to the Infrastructure Bill because, whilst welcoming efforts to further enable necessary infrastructure projects and acknowledging that long-term strategic planning and investment for transport infrastructure is urgently needed, the Bill fails to establish an independent National Infrastructure Commission to set out an evidence-based analysis of future infrastructure priorities in sectors including transport, waste and energy, and to hold governments accountable for delivery, because the Bill creates a new Strategic Highways Company, which could result in an increasingly two-tiered road system when there is no evidence that a new company is needed to deliver a road investment strategy, because the Bill fails to address the deteriorating condition of the local road network due to the cuts in spending since 2010 on local road maintenance, because the Bill does not ensure that unconventional gas extraction could only happen in the context of robust safety and environmental standards, comprehensive monitoring and strict enforcement, because the Bill fails to give communities new powers so that they can build the homes they need locally in the places they want, and because the Bill fails to include Garden City principles to underpin the next generation of New Towns, fails to strike the right balance between communities and developers in the discharge of planning conditions, and fails to properly plan ahead to ensure that building standards address CO2 emissions and climate change.

Amendment (c)

Caroline Lucas

Jeremy Corbyn

John McDonnell

That this House declines to give a second reading to the Infrastructure Bill because, whilst welcoming the recognition that strategic investment in the UK’s infrastructure is vital to create jobs and prepare the UK for the challenges it will face over coming decades, the Bill is inconsistent with the urgent need to prioritise low carbon transport and energy infrastructure in order to cut carbon emissions in line with the Climate Change Act 2008 and the UK’s international commitment of keeping global temperature rise below two degrees, whilst ensuring transport and energy are affordable; believes that the Bill contains a number of extremely damaging proposals including: the promotion of major new road schemes that will encourage more traffic, exacerbate air pollution and harm the countryside, steps towards the privatisation of the Highways Agency, changes to the law on trespass that will allow fracking companies to drill beneath people’s homes and land without their consent and a duty to maximise oil and gas recovery at a time when the UK should be reducing fossil fuel dependence; considers that the Bill fails to identify the UK’s top infrastructure needs including: a nation-wide energy efficiency retrofit programme to end fuel poverty, cut energy bills and reduce emissions, a rapid transition to a zero carbon renewable energy system with increased public ownership, better public transport, local road maintenance, boosting walking and cycling, strengthening the UK’s resilience to flooding and other climate impacts and the construction of affordable, zero carbon council and social housing.

Notes:

The National Assembly for Wales has passed a Legislative Consent Resolution in respect of this Bill. Copies of the Resolution are available in the Vote Office.

Relevant documents:

Fifteenth Report from the Transport Committee, Session 2013-14, Better roads: Improving England’s Strategic Road Network, HC 850, and the Government Response, Session 2013-14, HC 715

2. INFRASTRUCTURE BILL [LORDS]: PROGRAMME

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

Secretary Patrick McLoughlin

That the following provisions shall apply to the Infrastructure Bill [Lords]:

Committal

(1) The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Proceedings in Public Bill Committee

(2) Proceedings in the Public Bill Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 15 January 2015.

(3) The Public Bill Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

(4) Proceedings on Consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

(5) Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

(6) Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

(7) Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on consideration of any message from the Lords) may be programmed.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE BILL [LORDS]: MONEY

No debate (Standing Order No. 52(1)(a))

Mr David Gauke

That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Infrastructure Bill [Lords], it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament of:

(a) any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of the Act by a Minister of the Crown, a person holding office under Her Majesty or a government department, and

(b) any increase attributable to the Act in the sums payable under any other Act out of money so provided.

Notes:

Queen’s Recommendation signified.

4. INFRASTRUCTURE BILL [LORDS]: WAYS AND MEANS

No debate (Standing Order No. 52(1)(a))

Mr David Gauke

That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Infrastructure Bill [Lords], it is expedient to authorise–

(a) the making of provision about income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, stamp duty, stamp duty land tax and stamp duty reserve tax,

(b) the charging of fees by the Chief Land Registrar for services relating to local land charges,

(c) the charging of fees in connection with a register of certificates which provide evidence of compliance with building regulations, and

(d) the imposition of a levy on holders of licences relating to the petroleum industry or to the storage of carbon dioxide.

5. ELECTRICITY

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

Secretary Edward Davey

That the draft Electricity Capacity (Supplier Payment etc.) Regulations 2014, which were laid before this House on 10 November, be approved.

Notes:

If this item is opposed after 10.00pm, the division will be deferred.

6. ADMINISTRATION

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, on behalf of the Committee of Selection

That Mr Robert Syms be discharged from the Administration Committee and Mr Nigel Evans be added.

7. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, on behalf of the Committee of Selection

That Jackie Doyle-Price be discharged from the Committee of Public Accounts and Stephen Hammond be added.

 PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PETITIONS

No debate or decision (Standing Order No. 153)

Free school transport from Fishburn to Sedgefield Community College: Phil Wilson

Proposed changes to Penkridge Library (Staffordshire): Jeremy Lefroy

 ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

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

Access to free cash withdrawals in less well-off communities: Charlotte Leslie

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

 Statements to be made today

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

1.EU Energy Council, Brussels, 9 December 2014

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

2.Common Agricultural Policy–Single Payment Scheme 2014

Secretary of State for Justice

3.Government response to the Justice Committee’s report on mesothelioma claims and next steps

Secretary of State for Transport

4.Motoring services strategy

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

5.The Office for Nuclear Regulation: Strategy 2015–2020

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 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Amendment of Schedule 1) (Advocacy Exceptions) Order 2014

Room 9

4.30pm (public)

Second Delegated Legislation Committee

To consider the draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2014

Room 11

4.30pm (public)

 Select Committees

High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill

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

Witnesses: Edward and Charlotte Hunt; Sheila Cooper; The Coleshill Estate; William Henry and William John Shepherd; Balsall and Berkswell Residents Against Inappropriate Development; Ivan Parry; Adrian Saunders and others; and the Trustees of the Berkswell Trust and others

Room 5

2.00pm (private), 2.15pm (public)

Public Accounts

Subject: Tax avoidance: the role of large accountancy firms follow-up

Witnesses: Kevin Nicholson, Head of Tax, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (UK firm), and Fearghus Carruthers, Head of Tax, Shire Pharmaceuticals

Room 15

2.00pm (private), 3.15pm (public)

Transport

Subject: Motoring of the future

Witnesses: Claire Perry MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, John Dowie, Director of the Strategic Roads and Smart Ticketing Directorate, and Richard Bruce, Head of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Department for Transport

The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

4.00pm (private), 4.05pm (public)

Administration

Room 16

4.30pm (private)

High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill

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

Witnesses: Edward and Charlotte Hunt; Sheila Cooper; The Coleshill Estate; William Henry and William John Shepherd; Balsall and Berkswell Residents Against Inappropriate Development; Ivan Parry; Adrian Saunders and others; and the Trustees of the Berkswell Trust and others

Room 5

7.00pm (public)

 Joint Committees

National Security Strategy

Room 4

4.00pm (private)

COMMITTEE REPORTS PUBLISHED

 HOME AFFAIRS

8th Report: Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, HC 711

Date and time of publication: Saturday 6 December 00.01am

6th Special Report: Police, the media, and high-profile criminal investigations: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2014–15, HC 867

Date and time of publication: Monday 8 December 09.00am

 Environmental Audit

6th Report: Action on air quality, HC 212

Date and time of publication: Monday 8 December 00.01am

 Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments

15th Report, HC 332-xv

Date and time of publication: Monday 8 December 10.30am

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Forthcoming End of Day Adjournment Debates

Tuesday 16 December to Thursday 18 December

Applications should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7pm or rise of the House, whichever is the earlier, on Wednesday 10 December. The Ballot will take place on Thursday 11 December.

 Future Departments Answering in Westminster Hall

Week beginning 15 December

Applications for General or Short Debates should be made in writing to the Table Office by 7.00pm or the rise of House, whichever is the earlier, on Tuesday 9 December. The Ballot will take place on Wednesday 10 December.

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Cabinet Office; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Deputy Prime Minister; Home Office; Northern Ireland; Transport; Treasury; Work and Pensions.

Weeks beginning 5 January 2015, 19 January 2015 and 2 February 2015

Culture, Media and Sport; Defence; Communities and Local Government; Energy and Climate Change; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Health; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Treasury; Women and Equalities; Work and Pensions.

Weeks beginning 12 January 2015 and 26 January 2015

Attorney General; Business, Innovation and Skills; Cabinet Office; Deputy Prime Minister; Education; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Home Office; International Development; Justice; Leader of the House; Transport; Wales.