House of Commons

The UK public elects 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons. MPs consider and propose new laws, and can scrutinise government policies by asking ministers questions about current issues either in the Commons Chamber or in Committees.

Commons news

Defence Committee holds second evidence session for defence acquisition inquiry

MPs question the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology

What's on

Wednesday 16 May 2012

House of Commons

Main Chamber

Time Business
11:30am Oral Questions

Northern Ireland

12:00pm Prime Minister's Question Time
Debate on the Address

Cost of living

Adjournment - Mr Jack Straw

Peel Holdings and planning law

Westminster Hall

General Committee

Select Committee

Time Business
9:15am - Room 6 Business, Innovation and Skills

Apprenticeships - Logisitics Apprenticeship Training Academy and Prospects Learning Foundation; John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Gila Sacks, Deputy Director, Apprenticeships Unit

9:30am - Wilson Room, Portcullis House Education

The Child protection system in England - Peter Davies, Chief Executive, CEOP (And ACPO lead; Dr Shade Alu, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

9:30am - Grimond Room, Portcullis House Justice

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, Attorney General; Rt Hon Lord McNally, Minister of State, Ministry of Justice and Rt Hon Mr Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General

2:15pm - Wilson Room, Portcullis House Transport

Competition in the local bus market - Peter Hendy, Commissioner of Transport, Transport for London; Jeremy Peat, Chairman, Competition Commission, Douglas Cooper, Inquiry Director, Competition Commission and Adam Land, Director of Remedies, Competition Commission; Norman Baker MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport

2:15pm Environmental Audit

Wildlife crime - Ed Mitchell, Director of Environment and Business, Environment Agency and Adrian Taylor, Environment and Business Manager, Fisheries and Biodiversity, Environment Agency; Dr Paul Horswill, Senior Specialist, Wildlife Crime Team, Natural England and Janette Ward, Director Regulation, Natural England; Detective Superintendent Ron Knight, Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit and Sergeant Ian Knox, Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit

2:30pm - Room 8 Defence

Defence and cyber-security - Nick Harvey MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, Air Commodore Tim Bishop, Head of Global Operations Security Control Centre and John Taylor, Chief Information Officer

2:30pm Scottish Affairs

The Referendum on Separation for Scotland - Patrick Layden TD QC, Scottish Law Commission and Professor Andrew Scott, University of Edinburgh; The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions

2:30pm - Room 5 Northern Ireland Affairs

An air transport strategy for Northern Ireland - Nigel Smyth, Director, and Matt Sheldon, Senior Policy Advisor, Infrastructure, CBI Northern Ireland; Luke Pollard, Head of Public Affairs, ABTA and Doreen McKenzie, Proprietor, Knock Travel

3:15pm - Room 16 Public Accounts

Regional Growth Fund - Professor Steven Broomhead, Liverpool Hope University; Sir Bob Kerslake, Permanent Secretary, Department for Communities and Local Government and Martin Donnelly, Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

4:15pm Communities and Local Government

The Co-operative Council - Councillor Steve Read, Leader, London Borough of Lambeth Council, Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Portfolio Holder, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council and Councillor Ian Parry, Deputy Leader, Staffordshire County Council

House of Lords

Main Chamber

Time Business
3:00pm Oral Questions - Baroness Worthington

Green Alliance report into the use of tax reliefs to promote sustainable, green growth

Oral Questions - Baroness Falkner of Margravine

Political developments in the eurozone after recent changes of governments

Oral Questions - Lord Dubs

Improving the efficiency and effectivenes of imigration controls at British Airports

Oral Questions - Lord Avebury

Conditions in which children are being detained at Heathrow

Debate on the address - Baroness Wilcox / Lord Sassoon

Agriculture, Business, the Economy, Environment, Local Government and Transport

Estimated Rising Time

The House is expected to rise before midnight

Grand Committee

Select Committee

Time Business
10:15am - Room 1, Palace of Westminster Constitution

- This is a private meeting.

4:30pm - Room 4A, Palace of Westminster European Union

Private meeting

The Speaker

John Bercow

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