News

First Minister Alex Salmond is in France this week discussing financial services and energy, as he meets the French Minister for European Affairs and senior executives from those industries. An international break may be just what is needed following the controversy over the auction for lunch with him which raised £9,000 for the SNP's General Election campaign. At Holyrood the SNP will hope to move the media appetite from food to drink as Scottish Labour unveils its commission to consider alcohol in a bid to challenge the terms of the Scottish Government's Alcohol Bill. The SNP has already dismissed it as a smokescreen, a distraction, and a kick into the long grass, yet it may want to keep the conversation on alcohol for a little longer.

At Westminster, the Conservatives will seize on the opportunity to use the latest development in the expenses scandal to their advantage, as Mr Cameron makes a speech to the University of East London today.  Whilst criticising Prime Minister Gordon Brown for failing to forbid the three Labour MPs charged with false accounting from using parliamentary privilege to evade prosecution, and condemning the electoral system referendum as a "cynical attempt to save his own skin", David Cameron will pledge to close any such legal loophole pertaining to parliamentary privilege. The Conservatives may now however, face difficulty in progressing with its proposed Bill of Rights which is set to replace the Human Rights Act 1998, unless it can secure a consensus across all four parts of the UK, which is no mean feat. 

On the eve of the vote to approve the new European Commission, José Manuel Barroso's proposed commission looks set to be accepted by a majority of MEPs, despite the anticipated rejection by a small proportion of MEPs who consider the Commission to be lacking in strength and ambition and "too neo-liberal".   The co-operation agreement agreed between the Commission and the Parliament at the end of January will also be voted upon this week. On Thursday, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will chair his first meeting in the role, in an informal setting, where economic recovery and international negotiations on climate changes will be top of the agenda.  The spending of the European Parliament will also be examined this month as its budgetary control committee conducts the annual spending review.

Please note that as both Westminster and Holyrood are in recess next week there will be no Inside Politics Bulletin. It will resume on 22 February.

Scottish Government News

Scottish Government Budget passed
The Scottish Parliament approved the Scottish Government's Budget for 2010/11. The SNP Budget was supported by the Conservatives and Scottish Greens, with Liberal Democrats abstaining and Labour voting against. A Labour amendment to reinstate the construction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link was defeated and this project remains cancelled. Finance Secretary John Swinney announced the creation of an Independent Budget Review panel to review Scottish Government spending. The panel will be appointed this week and will report back in June 2010. Its remit is to consider the implications of forecasts of reductions in public spending in Scotland and make recommendations about the options for delivering public services within a more constrained public expenditure environment.
(Scottish Government, 3 February)

Additional budget allocation to Scottish Government
The Scottish Government received an additional £58.5m budget allocation as a result of the UK Government's Spring Budget Revision, with the funding earmarked for pandemic flu and for housing and regeneration projects.
(Scottish Government, 2 February)

Justice Secretary criticised over Lockerbie bomber release
Holyrood's Justice committee report on the release of the Lockerbie bomber criticised Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill for visiting Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in prison, and for not seeking a second medical opinion on his cancer prognosis before deciding to release the prisoner to return to Libya. The Scottish Parliament will now debate the report and consider what if any recommendations to make against the Justice Secretary.
(Justice committee report, 5 February)

Scottish Government Consultations

Public Information Notices (Closing 12/02/2010)

Glasgow City Centre College Merger (Closing 12/02/2010)

Consultation on the method of distribution for the UK's share of the €300 million EU Dairy Fund (Closing 17/02/2010)

Consultation on the Councillors' Code of Conduct (Closing 18/02/2010)

New practical fire safety guidance for small bed and breakfast and self-catering premises (Closing 18/02/2010)

Consultation on regulating will writers in Scotland (Closing 19/02/2010)

Consultation on Options for the Implementation of the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) (Closing 26/02/2010)

A national approach to anti-bullying for Scotland’s children and young people Education (Closing 26/02/2010)

Revised Code of Practice issued under section 60 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (Closing 02/03/2010)

The Scottish Parliament – The Week Ahead

Committees

Tuesday 9 February

Equal Opportunities - Female offenders in the criminal justice system; Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill (Stage 2); Work programme (in private).

Justice Committee - Subordinate legislation; Legal Services (Scotland) Bill (in private) (draft Stage 1 report).

European and External Relations - International Inquiry (evidence); Brussels Bulletin; International inquiry (consideration of oral evidence); Treaty of Lisbon; EU 2020 Strategy.

Finance - Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill (Stage 2, day 3); Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill (evidence on Financial Memorandum; Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc. Bill (consideration of Financial Memorandum); Work programme (in private).

Public Petitions - Consideration of current petitions (including underground cabling for new electricity transmission lines, Introduction of "McKenzie friend in Scottish courts", solicitors acting as court reporters).

Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change - Subordinate legislation (The Water Services Charges (Billing and Collection) (Scotland) Order 2010 (SSI 2010/10); Sustainable Development Commission Scotland: Third annual assessment of progress by the Scottish Government (evidence); Forth Crossing Bill (evidence).

Subordinate Legislation - Draft instruments subject to approval; Instruments subject to annulment; Forth Crossing Bill (consideration of Scottish Government’s response to points raised on the delegated powers provisions in this Bill at Stage 1, and the contents of a draft report); Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill (consideration of draft report on the delegated powers provisions in this Bill at Stage 1).

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments - Review of SPCB supported bodies; Commission on Scottish Devolution.

Wednesday 10 February

Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture - Assessment framework under Curriculum for Excellence (evidence).

Health and Sport - Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill (evidence – Stage 1); Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill (in private)(consideration of approach); Inquiry into the development of clinical portals and telehealth (draft report).

Local Government and Communities - Voluntary sector grant providers (evidence).

Public Audit - Section 23 report -Protecting and improving Scotland’s environment; Consideration of approach - Protecting and improving Scotland’s environment; Section 22 report - The 2008/09 audit of Registers of Scotland; Section 23 report - Review of Cairngorm funicular railway (in private).

Rural Affairs and Environment - Subordinate legislation; Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill (evidence, Stage 1); Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill (in private); Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill (in private (consideration of approach).

Economy, Energy and Tourism - The way forward for Scotland’s banking, building society and financial services sector (evidence).

In The Chamber

Wednesday 10 February

2.00pm: Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Followed by SPCB Question Time
2.20pm: Preliminary Stage Debate: Ure Elder Fund Transfer and Dissolution Bill
Followed by Stage 1 Debate: Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2010
Followed by Business Motion
Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00pm: Decision Time
Followed by Members’ Business –The Bike Station Makes Climate Change a Local Challenge (Ian McKee, SNP)

Thursday 11 February

9.15am: Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Home Owner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Bill
11.40am: General Question Time
12.00noon: First Minister’s Question Time
2.15pm: Themed Question Time - Health and Wellbeing
2.55pm: Equal Opportunities Committee Debate: 3rd Report 2009: Female offenders in the criminal justice system
Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00pm: Decision Time
Followed by Members’ Business –Celebrating Scotland’s First Ever General Practice Week in Scotland (Dr Richard Simpson, Labour)

Parliament is in recess until 22 February.

Westminster – The Week Ahead

The House of Commons

Monday 8 February

2.30pm: Home Office questions including topical questions;
Followed by Consideration of an allocation of time motion;
Followed by all stages of the Terrorist Asset Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Bill.
Followed by Adjournment debate on Kingston Hospital (Susan Kramer).

Tuesday 9 February

2.30pm: Justice questions including topical questions
Followed by Presentation of Bill – Climate Change (Sectoral Targets) Bill (Martin Caton);
Followed by Ten minute rule motion – Environmental Protection (Fly-tipping Reporting) Bill (Joan Ryan).
Followed by Motion to approve a money resolution on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill.
Followed by Committee stage of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill.
Followed by, if necessary, consideration of Lords Amendments.
Followed by Adjournment debate on the effect of climate change on Bangladesh (Colin Challen).

Wednesday 10 February

11.30am: Wales Office questions.
12.00noon: Prime minister’s questions.
Followed by Ten minute rule motion – Water Tariffs Bill (Nick Harvey).
Followed by if necessary, consideration of Lords Amendments.
Followed by Motion to take note with approval of the government’s assessment as set out in the Pre-Budget Report 2009 for the purposes of Section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993.
Followed by Motion to approve a resolution relating to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975.
Followed by Motion to approve an instruction relating to the Crime and Security Bill.
Followed by if necessary, consideration of Lords Amendments.
Followed by Adjournment debate on Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre (Alistair Burt).

House rises for recess.

The House is in recess until Monday 22 February.

Westminster Hall Debates

Tuesday 9 February

9.30am: Child poverty in London (Dianne Abbott).
11.00pm: Government policy on conflict prevention (Simon Hughes).
12.30pm: Effect of seagulls on businesses in Gloucester city centre (Parmjit Dhanda).
1.00pm:  Alcohol fraud (Paul Rowen).
1.30pm: No fault scheme for Miners’ Knee (Michael Clapham).

Wednesday 10 February

9.30am: Fuel duty on petrol prices in remote and peripheral areas (Alistair Carmichael).
11.00am: Reform of Parliament (Andrew Pelling).
2.30pm: Governance and regulation of professional football (Tony Lloyd).
4.00pm: Non-resident parents and Child Support Agency 1 scheme (Janet Anderson).
4.30pm: Terrorism and Islamist militancy (George Howarth).

The House is in recess until Monday 22 February.

House of Lords

Monday 8 February

2.30pm: Oral questions - How education in prisons will be funded after the Learning and Skills Councils are abolished in April (Lord Ramsbotham); What are their expectations for the 2010 Kazakhstan chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (Viscount Waverley); What is their policy with regard to a third runway at Heathrow (Lord Trefgarne); What steps they are taking to promote social tourism (Baroness Rendell of Babergh).
Followed by Third reading of the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill [HL].
Followed by Second reading of the Financial Services Bill.

Grand Committee

3.30pm: Committee stage (day 5) of the Child Poverty Bill.

Tuesday 9 February

2.30pm: Oral questions - What steps they have taken to defend the human rights of Iranian refugees at Camp Ashraf; and with what other countries or agencies they are involved in those efforts (Lord Maginnis of Drumglass); What proposals they have following their estimate that, of 37,000 tonnes of cod, haddock, plaice, sole, anglerfish and other demersel species caught by English and Welsh registered vessels in the North Sea and south western waters during 2008, 9,400 tonnes were discarded (Lord Teverson); What discussions they have had with universities about safeguarding humanities research in the Future of Higher Education Framework; and what reassurances they have given (Lord Judd);Topical question.
Followed by Second reading of the Allhallows Staining Church Bill [HL].
Followed by Second reading of the Kent County Council (Filming on Highways) Bill [HL].
Followed by Third reading of the Live Music Bill [HL].
Followed by Third reading of the Bribery Bill [HL].
Followed by Committee stage (day 6) of the Equality Bill.
Followed by Committee stage (day 7) of the Digital Economy Bill.

Wednesday 10 February

11.00am: Oral questions - (Tabled to the Leader of the House) On how many occasions in the last 12 months she has intervened in the House to draw the House’s attention to the need to comply with the Companion to the Standing Orders; and what assessment she has made of the response of members (Lord Campbell-Savours); What is their assessment of the treatment of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka (Lord Sheikh); When they will implement their 1997 manifesto commitment on electoral reform (Lord Tyler);Topical question.
Followed by All stages of the Fiscal Responsibility Bill (money bill). Baroness Noakes has tabled a motion of regret.
Followed by Debate on the EU committee report on the revision of the Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
Followed by Royal Assent.

The House is in recess until Monday 22 February.