Next week's business
Oh dear Lord, they're back. Monday sees Day 12 of the Lords committee of the whole house on the , with no sign of an end to Labour's Go-Slow. More late nights (and early mornings) are promised if a compromise can't be reached to end of this marathon stand-off - and as I write the word is that there's no deal in prospect.
Lib Dem Deputy Leader of the Lords Tom McNally told me on Today in Parliament that Labour were throwing their toys out of the pram, and wanted to be rewarded with a sweetie. Labour's Lord Falconer insists his side are not going to budge, and it's hard to see any procedural fix that allows the government to deliver its promised referendum on the voting system in May - short of capitulating to Labour's demands.
And there could be more committee stage fun just over the way in the Commons chamber, where MPs embark on three days discussing the in a committee of the whole house - see the post below about some of the rebel amendments on offer. The has criticised the bill in its latest report and the pressure group Open Europe has spotted another issue it hopes MPs will take up - the government must decide by 2014 whether a whole raft of EU police and justice laws agreed before the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, including the European Arrest Warrant, will continue to apply in the UK. Under this arrangement, if the government opts out of any one of the existing laws, it has to opt out of the entire lot. Open Europe is calling for the EU Bill to be amended to require a referendum or at least a vote in Parliament.
Oh, and earlier on Monday, Theresa May will be taking ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Office Questions, facing her new opponent, Yvette Cooper. Ms Cooper's husband, Ed Balls, has, of course, moved to shadow George Osborne. She's the unlucky one amongst the newly-promoted shadow ministers - none of the others have to face departmental questions this week...although they may be needed to fly the flag for Labour in urgent questions or ministerial statements.
On Tuesday, there's more of the EU Bill in the Commons after Health Questions. In the Lords, peers will be examining the Public Bodies Bill - a bill that has been neglected of late, with the storm surrounding the Parliamentary Voting Bill.
Down on committee corridor, all eyes will be on the who are looking at the matter of hacking MPs' mobile phones. What with the news about the resignation of the prime minister's spokesman Andy Coulson, the former editor of the newspaper implicated in the scandal, the News of the World, and the announcement earlier this month that the CPS has ordered a review of the case, it is The Hot Topic of discussion at Westminster once again.
Another unusual session will be the hearing - they've called back Metropolitan Police Commander Bob Broadhurst to explain why he said there were no undercover cops at G20 protests, given that it has now emerged that there were. The , meanwhile, will be launching into an interesting-looking inquiry into tax simplification.
During Wednesday's PMQs, David Cameron is sure to face taunts about Mr Coulson's departure - but equally Ed Miliband is vulnerable given recent movements on the Labour front bench. MPs will be looking forward to that - and then (oh joy!) to another day of discussion on the EU Bill. The will be putting the government's proposal to replace the current complicated web of social security benefits with a simple "universal credit." This is the Coalition's flagship proposal for reforming social security.
The Lords are back in harness with day 13 of the Parliamentary Voting Bill. Will fatigue overcome pride? Or will it be more of the same? Many shrewd observers think this session would have to be the final committee day on this bill, if it is to become law in time for a May referendum.
The will be talking to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former UK ambassador to the UN, about the role of the Foreign Office in UK government: may be some insights into the silent world of the mandarin?
Finally on Thursday - there's no sitting on Friday this week - MPs will be looking at another big constitutional measure, the Scotland Bill, after the usual Business Statement from Sir George Young. In the Lords, after questions on DEFRA and Zimbabwe, there will be debates on military veterans their post-service welfare, the value of tourism to the UK and the military covenant. The could be a good one to watch: MPs will be discussing UK Financial Investments Ltd, the holding company through which the British taxpayer now owns a large chunk of the banking industry.
Oh - and there's another small coup for the select committees. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has agreed that his final choice for the chairmanship of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Board of Trustees should have to appear before the before their final appointment. The trend towards confirmation hearings for top quangocrats continues...
It may not be long before the protocol on this flips over and it ceases to be a case of secretaries of state graciously deciding to allow these hearings, and they have to start showing cause why key appointments should not be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny and consent. The hearing for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ boss may be some time away, but, whoever it is, it should be fun - for everyone but the subject, anyway.
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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