On the Agenda
This page lists the business taking place in the UK's parliaments and assemblies, along with details of other political events.
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In Brief
Prime minister Gordon Brown chairs the weekly cabinet meeting.
Gordon Brown and climate change secretary Ed Miliband attend the launch of a report on forestry and climate change.
Chancellor Alistair Darling moves the second reading of the Banking Bill.
Health secretary Alan Johnson announces details of an agreement with the British Medical Association and NHS Employers on apackage of changes to the general medical services contract for 2009/10.
Communities secretary Hazel Blears is among the speakers at a Local Government Association conference on the Sustainable Communities Act.
Transport secretary Geoff Hoon speaks at the Energy Saving Trust fleet heroes awards.
Health minister Ben Bradshaw makes an announcement on GP surgeries offering extended opening hours.
Policing minister Vernon Coaker is among the speakers at the first day of the Local Government Association safer communities conference.
Treasury minister Stephen Timms and Centre for Social Justice chairman Iain Duncan Smith are among the speakers at a Salvation Army symposium exploring the reasons for social exclusion and the challenges it presents for government and society.
Transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick attends a Safer Roads Partnership conference at Manchester Airport.
European foreign ministers attend the second day of meetings of the EU's general affairs and external relations council in Luxembourg.
Shadow Wales secretary Cheryl Gillan is among the speakers at an Adam Smith Institute 'power lunch'.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and Treasury spokesman Vince Cable hold an off-camera briefing on the party's plans to help people through the financial crisis and attend a meeting of the Lib Dem economic council.
The Renewable Energy Association, Friends of the Earth and the Renewable Energy Tariff Coalition meet with MPs and Lords at a House of Lords event looking at the Energy Bill.
The Welsh Assembly government holds its lobby briefing.
The Conservatives hold their weekly press conference in the Welsh Assembly.
The EU's permanent representatives committee (COREPER I) meets in Brussels.
The EU political and security committee meets in Brussels.
Former prime minister's wife Cherie Blair delivers a talk at the Times Center in New York.
Press Complaints Commission chairman Sir Christopher Meyer is the guest speaker at the CBI's annual London dinner.
The Centre for European Policy Studies holds an event looking at the lessons, implications, and long-term consequences of the financial crisis.
The London Councils' leaders committee meets in London.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research holds a seminar looking at the effect of the national minimum wage 10 years on.
The Royal United Services Institute holds an event looking at Russia and its relations with the West.
The European Trade Union Confederation holds a press conference on the financial crisis.
Westminster Briefing holds an event on how to achieve a cleaner and quieter local environment.
The Bio Centre holds a symposium looking at the role of the arts in democratic policy making.
Reports and Statistics
The Commons international development committee publishes the government's responses to its previous reports on: making aid more effective; the World Food Programme and global food security; and the humanitarian and development situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee publishes the government's response to its report on implementing the nitrates directive in England.
The Commons public administration committee publishes the government's responses to its previous reports on: Investigating the conduct of ministers; politics and administration - ministers and civil servants; and parliamentary commissions of inquiry.
The New Local Government Network publishes a report looking at the flexibility of local area agreements.
Citizens Advice publishes a report on the employment tribunal system.
The Office for National Statistics publishes consumer price indices, a digest of engineering turnover and orders, the monthly review of external trade statistics, statistics on producer prices and provisional figures on weekly deaths registered in England and Wales.
The Department for Communities and Local Government publishes the house price index for August 2008.
The Department of Health publishes statistics on GP extended opening hours.
The Welsh Assembly government publishes the house price index for August 2008 and statistics on local authority capital expenditure, police service strength and prison populations.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders publishes regulated mortgage survey data.
The British Retail Consortium and KPMG publish the retail sales monitor for September.
The Agenda in Westminster
Commons Chamber
2.30pm: Communities and local government questions (topical questions at 3.15pm).
Ten Minute Rule Bill: Trading of Primates as Pets (Prohibition) Bill (Mark Pritchard).
Main business
Second reading of the Banking Bill.
Motion on European Union document on carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light commercial vehicles (without debate).
Adjournment debate: South Central rail franchise (Sir John Stanley).
Westminster Hall
9.30am – 11.00am: Digital television switchover (Michael Moore).
11.00am – 12.30pm: Treatment of rare and complex medical conditions (Dr Doug Naysmith).
12.30pm – 1.00pm: Noise pollution and congestion on the M3 (Maria Miller).
1.00pm – 1.30pm: Humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka (Joan Ryan).
1.30pm – 2.00pm: Testing of cosmetics on animals (Oliver Letwin).
Commons Select Committee
Business and Enterprise Committee (10.30am, Wilson room).
Subject: The role of regional development agencies.
Witnesses: Advantage West Midlands, and the East Midlands Development Agency.
Culture, Media and Sport Committee (10.30am, room 15).
Subject: The Licensing Act 2003.
Witnesses: Local Government Association and the Association of Town Centre Management; Association of Chief Police Officers and the Police Federation (at 11.10am); Magistrates Association (at 11.50am).
Defence Committee (10.30am, room 8).
Subject: UK national security and resilience.
Witnesses: General Sir David Richards KCB CBE DSO ADC, Commander-in-Chief Land Forces, and Brigadier James Everard CBE, Director Commitments, HQ Land Forces, Ministry of Defence.
Home Affairs Committee (10.30am, Grimond room).
Subject: Human Trafficking.
Witnesses: NewsQuest; *Europol (at 10.45 am); *European Commission (at 11.15am).
(*Witnesses will be giving evidence via video-link)
Treasury Committee (10.30am, Thatcher room).
Subject: Economics of the Housing Market.
Witnesses: Nationwide, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Council of Mortgage Lenders, Professor John Muellbauer, Nuffield College, and Professor David Miles, Imperial College London.
Justice Committee (4.15pm, Grimond room).
Subject: Sentencing Commission.
Witnesses: Professor Mike Hough, King’s College London, and Professor Andrew Ashworth QC, University of Oxford.
Joint Committee
Human Rights Committee (1.45pm, room 5).
Subject: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Witnesses: Trevor Phillips, Chair, and John Wadham, Legal Director, Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Public Bill Committees
Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [Lords] Committee (10.30am, room 9).
Subject: To consider the Bill.
Employment Bill [Lords] Committee (room 11, 10.30am & 4.30pm).
Subject: To consider the Bill
Lords Chamber
2.30pm: Oral questions, to ask the government:
Lord Ashley of Stoke - whether the forthcoming Green Paper on social care will contain a commitment to ensure disabled people will be free to move between local authorities without risk of loss of their social care package.
Lord Craig of Radley - why they intend to abolish the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in England and Wales, which hears appeals from armed forces personnel, their dependants and veterans.
Lord Barnett - when the Chancellor of the Exchequer last had an official meeting with the Governor of the Bank of England; and what was discussed.
Topical question: Lord Hylton - whether Russian forces have fully withdrawn from all parts of Georgia, other than South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in accordance with the agreement made with the European Union.
Main business
Committee stage (day 3) of the Planning Bill.
Motion to annul the European Parliament (House of Lords Disqualification) Regulations 2008 (Lord Trefgarne).
The Agenda in the Scottish Parliament
In Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is in recess until October 26.
The Agenda in the Welsh Assembly
In Plenary
1.30pm: questions to the first minister.
followed by: business statement and announcement.
followed by: statement by the minister for heritage on the display of art.
followed by: statement by the deputy minister for regeneration on strategic regeneration.
followed by: debate on the annual report of the older people's commissioner.
followed by: votes and proceedings.
followed by: record of proceedings.
In Committee
time tbc: Business committee meets in private.
8.45am: Subordinate legislation committee considers the National Health Service general ophthalmic services and optical charges and payments regulations.
9.30am: Proposed learning and skills (Wales) measure committee takes evidence from the deputy minister for skills.
10.00am: Proposed local government measure committee considers its inquiry.
12.30pm: Children and young people committee considers the Welsh Assembly government draft budget 2009/10.
The Agenda in the Northern Ireland Assembly
In Plenary
10.30am: prayers.
followed by: motion on social security regulations.
followed by: motion on financial pressures impacting on public spending.
followed by: motion on climate change.
followed by: motion on the Omagh bombing.
followed by: adjournment debate on promoting the tourist potential of East Antrim.
In Committee
11.00am: Assembly and executive review committee meets in public.
12.30pm: Business committee meets in private.
1.30pm: Committee for agriculture and rural development hears a presentation on the wind energy in farm business programme.
