Next week's committees
Next week, events in the Committee corridor starts with a smackdown.
Following the leaking of e-mails from the University of East Anglia's prestigious , which seem to suggest that figures were being altered because they did not support global warming, the will be taking evidence on Monday from the unit's director, Professor Phil Jones, author of the now-famous e-mail; from his vice chancellor, Professor Edward Acton, and from Sir Muir Russell, who's heading an independent review of the issues raised by the e-mails.
And they'll also hear from arch-climate change sceptic Lord Lawson. Sadly, he will not be in direct confrontation with Prof Jones - but even so the committee chairman Phil Willis expects an "explosive" evidence session. Depending on what is said, the committee may attempt to rush out a report before the election is called - or it may just post the evidence taken on the internet.
The will hear from junior minister Iain Wright in their continuing inquiry into young people not in education, employment or training.
On Tuesday, HSBC will be the next big bank to be questioned in the look at Financial Institutions: Too Important to Fail. At the , Lin Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔr, chief executive of the UK Borders Agency will be in the hot seat - and the committee is likely to pursue its recent finding that that the organisation had failed to keep track of what had happened in the cases of thousands of applicants for leave to remain in Britain.
The has a double-header with Justice Minister Lord Bach, looking at issues in the Crown Dependencies and at justice issues in Europe.
But, alas, the long awaited session with the "Pheonix Four" the group of businessmen who took over MG Rover, and took a great deal of money out of the company before its ultimate demise, has been postponed indefinitely.
This follows confirmation from the Business Secretary that his department was considering whether to bring disqualification proceedings against the four directors.
According to committee chairman Peter Luff : "We decided that in light of the fact that court proceedings appear likely, it would not be right for us to proceed with the evidence session at the current time. However, I should emphasise that this is a postponement not a cancellation. Should proceedings not go ahead we will call in the four directors at the earliest opportunity. We also reserve the right to call them to give evidence once any legal proceedings have concluded."
So watch this space...but you might have to continue watching until well after the election.
On Wednesday, the opens its short inquiry into fuel poverty with evidence from National Energy Action - a pressure group which warns that five million or more households are now in fuel poverty.
And they will also hear from EAGA, the agency at the centre of controversy over the quality of workmanship being delivered under the government's Warm Front programme, which is supposed to provide new boilers and home insulation. Some "truly hideous" case histories have been sent to the committee by MPs across the House.
The will hold a one-off session on mobility scooters - and whether they should be regulated. Help the Aged, disability groups and Norfolk Constabulary are among the witnesses - and the junior minister Sadiq Khan will give the government's view.
The will review the latest developments there, positive and otherwise, with Secretary of State Shaun Woodward. And the looks at defence medical services following . The witness is Sir Bill Jeffrey, Permanent Under Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.
Thursday sees another session on Financial Institutions: Too Important to Fail. The will also be publishing a report on the performance of the Department for Transport - which may not be entirely composed of glowing praise.
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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