This week in the Commons: 7 - 11 December

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This week in the Commons, there was an update from the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Withdrawal Agreement. MPs also approved the second reading and committee stage of the Taxation (Post-Transition Period) Bill, and considered Lords amendments to the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

Prime Ministers Questions

The Prime Minister answers questions from MPs in the House of Commons every sitting Wednesday from 12.00pm until the end of Question Time at 12.30pm.

To catch up on this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions:

Urgent questions and statements

This week there were four statements and four urgent questions.

Statements

Ministerial statements are a way for Ministers to bring an important matter to the attention of the House.

This week there were the following statements:

Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nigel Huddleston MP - Statement on gambling and lotteries.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - Withdrawal Agreement Update.

Defence Secretary - Armed Forces Deployment to UN Mission in Mali

Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health (Nadine Dorries) - Publication of the findings of the Ockenden review

Urgent questions

If an urgent or important matter arises which an MP believes requires an immediate answer from a government minister, they may apply to the Speaker to ask an urgent question.

This week there were the following urgent questions:

Rachel Reeves MP - To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU and preparations for the end of the transition period.

Alyn Smith MP - To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make a statement on the sentencing of the Hong Kong pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam.

Jonathan Ashworth MP - To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care if he will make a statement on the Covid-19 vaccine roll out.

Rachel Reeves - To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU and preparations for the end of the transition period.

Bills and legislation

On Wednesday 9 December, MPs approved the second reading and committee stage of the Taxation (Post-Transition Period) Bill.

On Thursday 10 December, MPs considered Lords amendments to the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21.

Backbench Business Committee

On Thursday, the House held Backbench Business debates on:

UK-Qatar relations

The future of the coach industry.

General debates

On Thursday 10 December there was a general debate on the future of the high street.

Westminster Hall

Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister.

Debates take place in Westminster Hall on Mondays if agreed by the Petitions Committee, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.