Week ahead

Is this the moment when (fanfare...) the Liberal Democrats strike back?

This week the Lib Dem peers put down a series of amendments to the Psychoactive Substances Bill which would effectively shelve it until there had been a thorough independent review of the whole spectrum of drug laws.

Among other things, this would mark the first vote on anything in the House of Lords in this Parliament.

I would be very surprised if they succeeded, because Labour doesn't disagree too hard with the government's bill - but the Lib Dems (for whom the House of Lords is now a Masada-style last redoubt) won't mind going down to glorious defeat if it makes the point that they are the party in favour of sweeping reform of the drug laws.

Elsewhere, it's a pretty humdrum week - with much detailed consideration of heavy technical legislation. But listen carefully when we reach Thursday's Commons debate on internet surveillance powers, for the soft thud of markers going down for future legislation.

Here's my rundown of the week ahead:

Monday

The Commons day opens (2.30pm) with work and pensions questions - watch out for the second coming of former welfare reform minister Frank Field as chair of the select committee. That may be followed by urgent questions or statements.

The day's main legislating is the second reading of the Education and Adoption Bill, which would speed up intervention with failing schools in England. An inadequate judgement by Ofsted would usually lead to a school being converted into an academy. And schools which are considered to be "coasting" could also be turned into academies. The bill would also allow the introduction of regional adoption agencies.

And the day ends with an adjournment debate on stone theft led by the Conservative, Jason McCartney. The MP's Huddersfield constituency has seen an increase in stone thefts with churches being specifically targeted.

The Lords meet at 2.30pm, when questions to ministers will include one on the effect of EU withdrawal on investment in UK science and technology - question time seems to be evolving into a bit of a rehearsal for the EU Referendum, with guerrillas on both sides of the argument seeking to make their points.

The main law-making is the first committee stage day on the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill, where the key issues revolve around whether devolution across all England should be agreed on a case-by-case, city-by-city basis, or whether there should be a uniform settlement. And there will also be some focus on the bill's emphasis on elected metro mayors for major conurbations.

So far the Lords have added 49 amendments to the bill, many largely technical. Coming up are amendments restricting the pay of the new mayors, extending the voting franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds and requiring the creation of new elected assemblies to accompany the devolution of further powers.

And watch out for a cross-party amendment calling for the government to produce a report setting out how devolution opportunities can be made available to rural and coastal regions

The dinner break business is a short debate on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, led by the former Scottish Secretary, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean.

Tuesday

In the Commons (11.30am) business opens with Justice questions - and again there's a new select committee chair who may intervene, this time the Conservative ex minister, Bob Neill.

MPs will then be asked to motor through detailed consideration of the European Union (Finance) Bill - the committee, report stage and third reading, in a single gulp. The bill implements changes to the rules on Britain's contribution to the EU budget including reductions agreed in 2013.

Labour has tabled three amendments that seek to increase scrutiny of how EU funds are spent including summoning European Commission budget representatives to appear before Bill Cash's European Scrutiny Committee. And they're also proposing new clauses requiring ministers to seek a European Commission study of whether alternative approaches to funding EU activities would off better value for money, and requiring the government to seek a Council of Ministers review of budget priorities, waste and inefficiency, to be completed by the end of 2015.

That is followed by a motion to alter the mandate of the committee considering the detail of the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Bill... this is, in theory, a pretty routine event allowing the committee to examine agreed detailed changes to the route. But it's rare for any Commons proceedings on HS2 to go off without incident...

In Westminster Hall, Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson leads a debate (9.30am - 11am) on government policy on support for pupils with English as an additional language - 63% of primary school pupils in his constituency have English as an additional language.

At (11am - 11.30am) David Morris, who was a member of the now defunct Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, has a debate on reforming the House of Lords and the number of peers - that committee suggested removing of persistent non-attendees in the Lords.

In the Lords (2.30pm) questions to ministers include one from the Conservative peer, Lord Farmer, on palliative care in light of Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report Dying without Dignity. With a private member's bill on Assisted Dying due for debate in the Commons in September, this may amount to a preliminary skirmish....

Then peers turn to their first day of detailed committee stage debate on the Psychoactive Substances Bill - key issues will include the new criminal offences of distribution and production of 'legal highs', as well as civil sanctions and regulation/licensing.

But watch out, in particular, for a series of amendments to things like the Commencement Clause from Lib Dem peers - they may look innocuous, but their combined effect would be to stop the bill taking coming into force until there had been an independent review of drugs legislation. And, unusually for committee stage proceedings, there seems to be a firm intention to force them to a vote. Cue much chuntering about abuse of process.

Watch out, too for the amendment from Lord Paddick and Lady Hamwee seeking to downgrade cannabis and cannabis resin schedule 2 in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations - which would soften the legal implications for those caught in possession of the drug.

The Labour peer Lord Howarth of Newport's amendments seeks to improve public knowledge of psychoactive substances including setting up a publically available website explaining how users can recognise them, their strength and their uses/ harms. He also calls for a network of testing centres where users can learn about the toxicity of substances they believe to be psychoactive. Schools would also be required to teach children about psychoactive substances.

He has also added an amendment requiring the secretary of state to produce a report on stop and search powers which would include stats on the ethnicity and "socio-economic" characteristics of those stopped. The issue of controlled drugs may well also come up.

Dinner break business is a short on the Welsh Assembly elections and the recent and planned changes to the Welsh devolution settlement.

Wednesday

In the Commons (from 11.30am) the day opens with Northern Ireland questions, followed, at noon by prime minister's question time. And the remainder of the day will be devoted to opposition day debates.

In Westminster Hall, Labour MP Paul Blomfield leads a debate on science and research in the UK and regional economies (9.30am - 11am) and from 11am, Jim Fitzpatrick has a debate on leaseholders and housing association ballots - he has campaigned for residents to be able to hire and fire failing housing associations.

Former Daily Telegraph Technology Editor Matt Warman has a debate on superfast broadband roll-out (2.30pm - 4pm) and the SNP's Alison Thewliss will discuss World Breastfeeding Week (4.30pm - 5.30pm). This year's theme will be a campaign for women to be able to adequately combine work and child rearing, particularly breastfeeding.

In the Lords (from 3pm) questions to ministers include Viscount Ridley's on the cost (£/tCO2e) of greenhouse gas emissions abatement from wind offshore, wind onshore and solar - and then peers turn to the second committee stage day on the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill, where the focus will be on the transfer of functions and powers from central to local government; and on health and social care transfers in particular.

There will also be a short debate on the political situation in Syria led by the Lib Dem, Baroness Falkner of Margravine,

Thursday

The Commons meets at 9.30am for energy and climate change questions, (again there will be the debut of a new select committee chair, the SNP's Angus MacNeil), which will be followed by the weekly Business Statement from the Leader of the House Chris Grayling, setting out the agenda for the coming week.

That will be followed by a general debate on Reports into Investigatory Powers, a taking of the voices on what became one of the touchiest issues of the last Parliament: the level of surveillance of internet activity needed to protect the public from terrorists.

It follows the publication of the Anderson Report recommending judges should oversee communications interception - which would be a huge break from previous practice. The recommendation has heavyweight support on the Conservative side, from backbench mastermind David Davis and his allies.

The adjournment debate is on the National Gallery industrial dispute - Labour's John McDonnell raises the increasingly bitter standoff between management and staff over the Gallery's proposal to outsource security and visitor services and the sacking of a trade union rep.

In the Lords (from 11am) the day's debates are on Opposition Day motions from Labour: firstly led by the former minister Lord Wills on the constitutional changes proposed in the Queen's speech; and secondly led by Lord Whitty on affordable housing.

In between the two debates, there will be another Labour-led debate: a one-hour topical short debate from Glenys Thornton on the Care Quality Commission's report 'Right here, right now' and the steps being taken to provide young people with adequate help, care and support during a mental health crisis.

Final business is another short debate on the requirement for all leaseholders to agree if they wish to become holders in common.