Political News W/C 23rd October

Provisional parliamentary business has now been announced for this period, including the following that may be of relevance to you. Parliament is likely to prorogue on Thursday 26 October (when Royal Assent to all Acts has been signified) ahead of the King’s Speech on Tuesday 7 November. It will then rise for Christmas Recess on Tuesday 19 December and return on Monday 8 January. Please note, the following may change at short notice. 

House of Commons 

Monday 23 October 

Westminster Hall debate: e-petitions 561730 and 576886, relating to honesty in politics – Martyn Day (4:30pm, 120mins) 

Tuesday 24 October 

Motion: Prisons: Motion to approve the Draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Removal of Prisoners for Deportation) Order 2023 (from 12:45pm) 

Justice Committee: Recent urgent notifications on the prison estate. Witnesses: Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP, Minister for Prisons and Probation at Ministry of Justice; Michelle Jarman-Howe, Chief Operating Officer at HM Prison and Probation Service. Location: Room 15, Palace of Westminster (2pm) 

Wednesday 25 October  

Prime Minister’s Questions (12pm) 

Legislation: Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill: Report stage 

Human Rights (Joint Committee): Human Rights at Work. Witnesses: Ijeoma Omambala KC, Barrister at Old Square Chambers; Akua Reindorf KC, Barrister at Cloisters Chambers; Professor Robert Wintermute, Professor of Human Rights Law at Kings College London; Gill Hunter, Chair of the Equity Commissioners at British Chamber of Commerce. Location: Room 16, Palace of Westminster (3pm) 

Thursday 26 October  

Business Questions (from 10:30am) 

Backbench Business: General debate on menopause – Carolyn Harris 

House of Peers 

Monday 23 October 

Oral question: Link between domestic violence and brain injury – Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (2:40pm)   

Tuesday 24 October 

Debate: Situation in Israel/Gaza – Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon 

Grand Committee orders and regulations: Draft Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Risk of Being Drawn into Terrorism) (Revised Guidance) Regulations 2023 

Wednesday 25 October 

Justice and Home Affairs Committee: Ministry of Justice oral evidence session. Witness: Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice at Ministry of Justice. Location: Room 2, Palace of Westminster (10:30am)  

Human Rights (Joint Committee): Human Rights at Work. See above (3pm) 

Oral question: The role of the European Court of Human Rights in considering cases from the United Kingdom – Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (3pm) 

Oral question: The protection of asylum seekers who would risk ill-treatment if returned to a country of origin because of their sexual orientation or gender identity – Lord Cashman (3:20pm) 

Thursday 26 October 

Orders and regulations: Draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Removal of Prisoners for Deportation) Order 2023 (from 11:40am)