Parliament & Politics The House: Next week

Monday, 23 November:

Commons/Lords not sitting.

Tuesday, 24 November:

Queen's Speech, opening Parliament's new session. Commons: Queen's Speech debate, first day; short debate on interpretation of VAT rules on home- support services in Essex. Lords: Peers meet briefly at 3.30pm to move an address to the Queen thanking her for the speech.

Wednesday, 25 November:

Commons: House meets at 9.30am for backbench debates: tourism; crisis in the Gulf; the 1999 eclipse - assistance to Cornwall; National Park status for the South Downs; CJD and human growth hormone - compensation. At 2.30pm Queen's Speech debate, second day. Short debate on arts in Liverpool. Lords: Queen's Speech debate, first day, on constitutional and legal affairs.

Thursday, 26 November:

Commons: Queen's Speech debate, third day. Short debate on future status of New Forest. Lords: Queen's Speech debate, second day, on defence and foreign affairs.

Friday, 27 November:

Commons: Queen's Speech debate, fourth day. Short debate on engineering advice for alleviation of third world poverty. Lords: Not sitting.