The week ahead

The UK Parliament rises after Thursday's business for its Summer Recess.

On Monday the House of Commons will debate and vote upon a report from the Committee on Standards & Privileges concerning George Galloway.

Recommendations to the House

75. On Mr Galloway’s failure to register and declare his interests, he has recognised his shortcomings. As to his use of parliamentary resources to support his work for the Mariam Appeal, he maintains that this was relatively modest in scale. We disagree and find that it went beyond what was reasonable.

76. Had these been the only matters before us, we would have confined ourselves to seeking an apology to the House. However, Mr Galloway’s conduct aimed at concealing the true source of Iraqi funding of the Mariam Appeal, his conduct towards Mr David Blair and others involved in this inquiry, his unwillingness to cooperate fully with the Commissioner, and his calling into question of the Commissioner’s and our own integrity have in our view damaged the reputation of the House. In accordance with precedent, we recommend that he apologise to the House, and be suspended from its service for a period of eighteen actual sitting days.129 As the House is shortly to go into its Summer Recess, we further recommend that Mr Galloway’s period of suspension should begin on October 8, the day it resumes.

It will then consider a number of Statutory Instruments and the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill.

There will be a debate on the Government's draft Legislative Programme on Wednesday, and on Thursday there will be a debate on the motion for the adjournment for the summer recess. This allows members to raise issues of concern to them. The House of Lords will continue clearing legislation - as the final stages of key bills such as the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill are reached, and ping pong continues in both Houses.

In the House of Representatives there will be 29 bills considered under the suspensions procedure on Monday and one on Tuesday. Three major bills will be considered during the rest of the week - the Appropriations bills for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development; and the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science - plus the Farm Bill.

The Senate's Calendar of business for Monday reads -

1.—Ordered, That at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007, the Senate proceed to the
consideration of S. 1642, a bill to extend the authorization of programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. Ordered further, That there be 8 hours of debate on the bill and any amendments thereto with 2 hours of the time equally divided and controlled by the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) and the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi) or their designees; provided that time on any first degree amendment be limited to 30 minutes equally divided and controlled and there be an additional 15 minutes equally divided and controlled for any second degree amendment.
Ordered further, That the only amendments in order other than the committee-reported
substitute amendment be a total of 12 first degree amendments which must be relevant to the matter of S. 1642 or the committee-reported substitute, with 6 for each manager, and an additional managers’ amendment which has been cleared by the managers and the Leaders, with no other first degree amendments in order; provided further, that second degree amendments be in order and be relevant to the first degree amendment to which they are offered.
Ordered further, That upon the use or yielding back of time and the disposition of all amendments, the substitute amendment, as amended, if amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill.

2.—Ordered, That on Tuesday, July 24, 2007, upon disposition of S. 1642, the Senate
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2638, an act making appropriations for the Department
of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.