NB Scroll down for details of Commons business for Wednesday and Thursday
A business statement is expected from Harriet Harman at 3.30pm, which will indicate how Parliament will deal with the remaining bills which are still in play in advance of Parliament being dissolved next Monday.
Harman's own Equality Bill is scheduled to get Royal Assent later today and the Finance Bill is something that will go through as a matter of course. There will follow over the next 24-48 hours much negotiation between the whips' offices and frontbenches as to what else will be able to be passed into law. it still also needs to be resolved whether certain reforms of the way the Commons works will be passed this week.
Of the remaining pieces of legislation, five are broadly non-contentious and ought to pass with relative ease and little cause for amendment:
Two Bills are highly controversial and will struggle to pass in anything like their existing form:
Three Bills have some contentious aspects and others that are less controversial and will therefore be subject to particular discussion:
* The proposal to have a referendum on electoral reform is especially controversial, and when the relevant clauses were being voted upon earlier in the year, I am led to believe that Labour MPs sceptical about the move were persuaded to back it on the basis that it would be sacrified at this stage. However, the all-important clause to instruct returning officers to count the votes at the general election on the Thursday night has all-party agreement and must be allowed to pass into law.
Wednesday morning update:
The business for today and tomorrow is as below. In addition to all the legislation mentioned above, there are two Private Member's Bills being given time to pass, including Alistair Burt's Sustainable Communities Bill, as well as a motion relating to the banning of mephedrone.
Today's Business:
Tomorrow's business:
Jonathan Isaby