Week ahead

Next week offers a blend of solemn world affairs and feverish internal politicking, as Westminster debates crises across the world and attempts to solve its internal battle over the appointment of a new Clerk of the Commons.

Meanwhile, will the week end with a bill to commit the UK to meet the UN's target for aid spending being humanely killed to clear the way for the EU Referendum Bill?

Monday 8th September

MPs meet at 2.30pm for Communities and Local Government Questions, which will be followed by a statement from the Prime Minister on the outcome of the NATO Summit.

The main legislating will be the second reading debate on the National Insurance Contributions Bill, which simplifies the system for self-employed people and introduces new anti-avoidance measures.

Then there will be a backbench debate on food fraud, led by Lib Dem Roger Williams.

The debate follows the publication of the report by Chris Elliot of Queen's University Belfast, into the 2013 scandal when beef products across Europe were found to be contaminated with traces of horsemeat.

It will provide an early opportunity to quiz ministers on their response to its recommendations on policing international food production chains - which include setting up a new unit to fight "food crime".

Mr Williams believes that investigators have still not got to the bottom of the horsemeat scandal and that it is just one example of criminals substituting cheap, and possibly illegal substances for more expensive food products.

It is possible this general debate may be followed up by another debate on a substantive motion.

In Westminster Hall (at 4.30pm) Labour's Nic Dakin and Conservative MP Eric Ollerenshaw lead a debate on research funding for and awareness of pancreatic cancer.

Tuesday 9th September

The day begins with Justice Questions.

MPs will then vote on a series of motions on the HS2 Bill - which will provide its opponents in the Commons with their first chance to attack it since April.

The bill goes into enormous detail about the route for the controversial rail scheme, and it is usual for this kind of measure to need several updates as it progresses through Parliament.

On this occasion provisions need to be added to allow for moving an electricity pylon - and there's also a belt and braces motion to allow for documents on this to be submitted electronically, accompanied by a supplementary Environmental Statement, plans and other documents.

Much more wide ranging changes to the proposals for Euston Station in London are expected later.

Then comes a motion to approve the Draft Legislative Reform (Clinical Commissioning Groups) Order 2014.

Following the Health and Social Care Act of 2012, campaign groups were worried that local commissioners would make decisions about NHS services behind closed doors, cutting local people out of the process.

There will also be a debate on opposed private business - which I assume will include the Transport For London Bill, which a group of backbenchers have repeatedly stopped from being nodded through without debate.

The day's Westminster Hall debates cover the future of nursery schools (9.30-11am) and the situation in Cyprus (2.30-4pm)

Wednesday 10th September

The Commons opens at 11.30pm for half an hour of Cabinet Office Questions, to be followed at noon by Prime Minister's Questions.

The main event will be a wide ranging foreign affairs debate, looking at the crises in Ukraine, North Africa and the Middle East - and it is possible there may be some substantive motion to authorise some form of military action if the Government so decides, in the wake of the NATO summit.

After 7pm couple of hours have been set aside for a debate on a motion to set up a Select Committee on the Governance of the House - essentially to provide a way out of the kerfuffle over the appointment of a new Clerk of the Commons.

Conservatives Jesse Norman and Bernard Jenkin will propose setting up a mini-committee to decide whether the Clerk's administrative duties should be hived off to a specialist manager, and, if so, whether that official should report to the Clerk.

This seemingly arcane issue has boiled up to the point where it threatens the position of the Speaker - so watch for detailed questions from core Bercow-baiters like Michael Fabricant and Simon Burns about the process which culminated in the recommendation of Carol Mills of the Australian Parliament.

In particular watch out for any contributions from the appointment panel members, who have so far offered little comment on the process.

In Westminster Hall there are backbench debates on the Western Balkans (9.30-11am) and on Government policy on outdoor sport (2.30-4pm)

Thursday 11 September

The Commons day begins with Business Innovation and Skills Questions at 9.30pm.

The day's main business is two backbench debates - first on a motion complaining about the disadvantage UK carbon taxes impose on energy-intensive industries.

It is led by Labour's Alex Cunningham and Lib Dem Ian Swales.

Then there is a debate on Gurkha pensions and terms of employment, led by the Conservative Jackie Doyle-Price.

Meanwhile in Westminster Hall MPs will debate the political and humanitarian situation in Kashmir - led by Lib Dem David Ward.

Friday 12th September

It's the second day of debates on Private Members Bills - with Lib Dem former Cabinet Minister Michael Moore topping the agenda, with his measure to introduce a legal minimum requirement for 0.7per cent of Britain's GDP to be spent on international aid.

Mr Moore says it would "make good on a long-standing Liberal Democrat commitment."

Lib Dems are on a three line whip. But beware; this latest round of private members bills is dominated by the third bill on the list, the new incarnation of the European Union Referendum Bill, which is due to be debated on Friday October 17th.

Conservative MPs were on a 3-line whip to attend the debate on the first private members bill - Andrew George's Affordable Housing Bill, to kill it so it didn't get in the way of the Referendum Bill.

Expect the same again.

Further down the agenda, if reached, are bills on carbon monoxide detectors and pavement parking.