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Business of the House

The business for next week will be as follows: Monday 24 July—Second Reading of the Welfare Reform Bill. Tuesday 25 July—Motion on the retirement of the Clerk of the House, followed by consideration of Lords amendments to the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, followed by motion on the summer recess Adjournment. The House will not adjourn until Royal Assent has been received to any Act. The business for the week following the summer recess will be as follows: Monday 9 October—Remaining stages of the Road Safety Bill [Lords]. Tuesday 10 October—Second Reading of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill. Wednesday 11 October—Opposition Day [18th Allotted Day]. There will be a debate on an Opposition motion. Subject to be announced. Thursday 12 October—Consideration of Lords amendments to the Civil Aviation Bill, followed by a debate on climate change on a motion for the adjournment of the House. Friday 13 October—The House will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing 16 October will include: Monday 16 October—Opposition Day [19th Allotted Day]. There will be a debate on an Opposition motion in the name of the Liberal Democrats. Subject to be announced. I should also like to inform the House that the business in Westminster Hall for 12 October and 19 October will be: Thursday 12 October—A debate on the report from the International Development Committee on the WTO Hong Kong ministerial conference and the Doha development agenda. Thursday 19 October—A debate on the 28th annual House of Commons Commission report. I should like to remind the House that it agreed to sit from 11.30 am on Tuesday 25 July, and there will be no business next Tuesday in Westminster Hall. I should also like to tell the House that the state opening of Parliament will be on Wednesday 15 November. The House will rise at the end of business on 25 July and return on Monday 9 October. I have given serious consideration to the points made by Members on both sides of the House regarding the accountability of Government during the summer recess. I am pleased to inform the House that later today I intend to table a motion and an explanatory memorandum that will allow for the tabling and answering of named day questions and, if there is a need, written ministerial statements on specified days during the first two weeks of September. This information will thereafter be printed in the Official Report. Before closing, Mr. Speaker, I should like to take the opportunity to wish all Members of the House a productive summer recess in which they are able to see their families for a normal holiday period, and then able, as colleagues on both sides of the House always do, to devote time to their constituencies. I also give my thanks to the staff of the House for their continued support and to staff in Government Departments who provide briefings for my weekly business statement—although of course the answers are entirely my responsibility.