Next week's committees
On Monday, the publishes its report on carbon budgets looking at what the UK should be doing post-Copenhagen to help build international political will for a binding climate deal.
The visits Birmingham to meet local organisations involved with the PREVENT programme which works with community groups help stop young people becoming involved in extremism and terrorism. They'll take evidence from Birmingham and Leicester city councils and from police organisations.
The convenes at the National Assembly in Cardiff to begin evidence sessions for its Wales and Whitehall inquiry, examining how government departments deal with Welsh legislation. Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan gives evidence.
And 25 years after the miner's strike the looks at £1.1bn project to regenerate - decontaminate and redevelop - English coalfields. The witnesses will be senior planning and housing officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government.
There's also a private session of the special committee investigating the police search of the Commons office of the Conservative immigration spokesman, Damian Green. Perhaps they will be drafting their report?
Business as usual? On Tuesday, the continues its close scrutiny of the nationalised banks with a one-off evidence session to check on progress at Lloyds, RBS and Northern Rock, in particular over bonus payments.
Questions about the effect of the new bank payroll tax announced in the pre-Budget report and lending practices are likely to come up.
The continues probing the multi-billion pound defence equipment budget. Witnesses include Lord Drayson, the minster charged with reforming MoD acquisition and Sir Bill Jeffrey, the Perm Sec at MoD.
And all because the committee loves Milk Tray...
The holds a one-off evidence session on the issue of company takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, particularly topical amid Kraft's hostile bid for Cadbury. Is this just what happens in a globalised economy, or is this country too ready to acquiesce to iconic British brands being asset-stripped? Prof Christopher Bones, of the Henley Business School, who previously worked at Cadbury, will give evidence, followed by Unite, and finally BIS minister Ian Lucas, who will have the interesting task of explaining what recent expressions of concern by his boss, Lord Mandelson, and the city minister, Lord Myners, actually mean.
The launches its inquiry into the government's approach to crime prevention starting with Louise Casey who conducted the government's "Crime and Communities" review, and then hearing from the National Youth Agency and the Justice Board.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and Kenny MacAskill MSP appear before the for its inquiry into co-operation and communication between governments. This dry-sounding title conceals an inquiry which is essentially into the "compassionate grounds" release of the Libyan man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi
The holds a pre-appointment hearing with Michael Fuller, currently Chief Constable of Kent Police and preferred candidate for the role of HM Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service.
The meets, in private as usual. I understand they still have four outstanding cases of MPs accused of various infractions on their books.
The Lords Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee is the committee that examines the most contentious-looking items in the vast stream of secondary legislation, Statutory Instruments, which are constantly going through parliament to update rules and regulations.
On this occasion they've called in Helen Goodman, junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss the Draft Jobseeker's Allowance (Skills Training Conditionality Pilot) Regulations 2010 and the Social Security (Housing Costs Special Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations 2009. The peers are concerned about the standard of explanations given for the various amendments isn't up to scratch - and apparently it's not the first time they've been unhappy about this.
On Wednesday, the holds a session looking at the effect of Local Housing Allowance, rolled out nationally from 2008, with the aim of making recipients more responsible for managing their money. The committee will take evidence from those representing recipients - Shelter, Citizens Advice and Mencap - followed by landlord representatives, such as the National Landlords Association, British Property Federation and Scottish Association of Landlords.
It's the final evidence session for the inquiry into Sure Start Children's Centres. First they'll focus on the involvement of health agencies and professionals in Children's Centres, then they'll take evidence from the Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo.
Can re-engineering the planet prevent or mitigate global warming? And if so how should global-scale "geo-engineering" projects be controlled? The Science and Technology Committee puts these questions to the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE) among others. Some sessions of this inquiry are to be conducted jointly with their equivalent committee on the US Congress.
A two-parter from the Scottish Affairs Committee: Lord Myners gives evidence for the committee's banking in Scotland inquiry, followed by Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy MP for a session examining the Scotland Office White Paper and the recommendations of the Calman Commission on the future of devolution.
The will be taking evidence for their inquiry into the National Policy Statements for ports from the Town and Country Planning Association, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and Planning and Environment Bar Association; Local Government Association, and Regional Development Agencies.
The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Hilary Benn goes before the to explain the recently published DEFRA food strategy. This got pretty appalling press last week and the committee - which examined many of the issues in a report last year - is keen to test the minister's approach.
Public Admin holds a getting to know you session on Thursday with uber spin-doctor Matt Tee, the head of Government Communications at the Cabinet Office. This is part of their regular (annual-ish) scrutiny of the government's communications operations.
And the Justice Committee launches the report of its two-year inquiry into Justice Reinvestment - the idea of diverting some of the resources pit into justice and penal policy into long term crime prevention work with people in danger of becoming criminals.
I'm Mark D'Arcy and I'll be writing about what goes on in the chambers and committee rooms at Westminster.
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