The week ahead in Westminster

By Keith Macdougall
The Record presenter

It is the last full week for MPs and peers before the summer break finally arrives.

Which means there is not much time to get the Bill aimed at cleaning up Parliament on to the statute book.

Peers carry on their close scrutiny of the Parliamentary Standards Bill on Tuesday. There are expected to be more serious reservations voiced by peers, especially about the powers being given to the new body known as Ipsa, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Meanwhile, the Bill that alters the law on funding political parties comes to the Commons on Monday, when MPs debate changes made by peers.

Also in the Commons on Monday, the recent remarks of new Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth on the conflict in Afghanistan will be discussed during defence question time.

Chancellor Alistair Darling and his team of ministers come up with answers to Treasury questions in the Commons on Tuesday.

On Wednesday the opposition parties have chosen the subjects for debate, and this week it seems there is a caring theme. Firstly MPs will look at the serious shortage of NHS dentists, and secondly the standards of care for elderly people.

Earlier in the day, Gordon Brown has his first question time in a fortnight. The scandal of mass mobile phone hacking by News of the World journalists could be one of the subjects raised at prime minister's question time. Labour MPs may well wish to embarrass the Conservative leadership on this issue.

Over in the Lords on Wednesday, peers use question time to discuss the latest levels of unemployment, and what the future prospects are for government spending.

How to convert City traders into school teachers and how to improve cricket coaching are two of the subjects covered at question time in the House of Lords on Thursday.

Neither House is sitting on Friday.

When the Houses are sitting, you can watch The Record every weeknight at 2300 repeated at 0900 Monday and overnight throughout the week.