Committees get busy
With only a week and a bit to go, before Parliament shuts up shop for the summer, the select committees are rushing to launch new inquiries and summon witnesses.
The has announced a new inquiry into firearms control, to look at whether or not there is a need for changes to the way in which firearms and shotgun certificates are issued and monitored, to prevent gun violence. Labour's Keith Vaz, Chair of the Committee, said it would seek to learn any lessons from the recent tragic shootings in Cumbria and in Northumberland.
The wants to look into the permanent arrangements for the Office for Budget Responsibility, which was set up by the Coalition as an interim body. One of its first tasks was to provide advice on the arrangements for the permanent OBR -
With legislation expected in autumn, the Committee plans a swift inquiry to assess the arrangements proposed by the interim OBR and consider alternatives. It's particularly interested in evidence on means of ensuring the OBR's independence and accountability.
There are also a series of hearings already timetabled for next week:
On Tuesday, the has its first encounter with the new Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. And with his sweeping plans for NHS reforms and the controversy over the possible scrapping of the two week guarantee for an appointment with a cancer specialist - this is bound to be a high-profile session.
The new will meet David Willetts, the minister for universities and science, and the will meet the Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan.
And the will speak to Damien Green, minister for immigration on the new government's immigration policy, especially the new proposed cap on immigration.
On Wednesday, the will have its first meeting with the new Justice Secretary Ken Clarke - and likely topics will include his suggestion that far fewer people should be sent to prison, and possible changes to the mandatory life sentence for murder.
The will meet Michael Moore, the secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell, his junior minister and Alisdair McIntosh, director, Scotland Office.
The will have its first session with the Defence Secretary, Liam Fox. They'll discuss the Strategic Defence Review, operations in Afghanistan and Defence procurement.
And the first session of the new Parliament will look into the Pathways to Work system - which is supposed to move people on incapacity benefit back into employment. A found this system to be poor value for money and 60% ineffective. The witnesses are led by Leigh Lewis, permanent secretary, at the Department of Work and Pensions.
On Thursday the newly created will hold its first hearing, into the government's proposal to hold a referendum on changing the way in which MPs are elected to the alternative vote system, AV. The session is also likely to touch on the government's plans to have fewer MPs representing more equal numbers of electors, and to have fixed-term parliaments of five years. The witnesses will include: Peter Facey, from Unlock Democracy, Dr Michael Pinto-Duschinsky and Dr Martin Steven, from the Electoral Reform Society.
Similar ground will already have been explored by the Lords Constitution Committee which will hear evidence from Peter Riddell, senior fellow at the Institute for Government, Professor Robert Hazell, director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, and Professor Robert Blackburn, professor of constitutional law at Kings College London.
They will be asked for their views on the government's proposals for Lords reform and electoral reform and on the changing responsibilities of the Deputy Prime Minster for the Coalition's constitutional reform programme.
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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