What's happening in Parliament next week?

Boring is the new exciting. Painstaking is the new decisive.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his team are seeking to soothe our fevered politics with reassuring stodginess, and it's beginning to show in Parliament, where promised legislation - on Online Safety, the Bill of Rights, energy, and other once-hot topics - seem to have been put in the deep freeze, at least until the new PM gets his bearings.

All of which makes for a rather workaday parliamentary agenda in a shortened week, with a short half-term recess before the promised autumn budget the following week.

There are a couple more by-elections to replace select committee chairs summoned to governmental glory in Mr Sunak's ministerial team.

Nominations to replace Mel Stride on the Treasury Committee close on Tuesday, with Harriet Baldwin, John Baron, Richard Fuller, Kit Malthouse and Andrea Leadsom vying for what, especially in current circumstances, is a very high-profile role. The election is on Wednesday.

There are also campaigns under way for the chairs of Transport and Education, where nominations close on Tuesday with the elections the next day.

All of these vacancies are open only to Conservative MPs, under the division of committee chairs agreed between the parties, but since all MPs have a vote, they're all be getting little visits from the candidates and local election-style leaflets. There are even hustings.

Monday 7 November

Commons: Defence Questions at 14:30 after which expect the usual post-weekend helping of government statements and urgent questions. There's talk of a statement on the date of new elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Then there's the second reading of the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill, which includes reforms proposed after the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster. The bill provides for short-notice inspections and gives the regulator the power to carry out emergency works on properties, for which the social landlord will have to pay.

The fire which destroyed Grenfell Tower in June 2017 was one of the UK's worst modern disasters

Adjournment: Labour MP Shabana Mahmood leads a debate on the governance and financial sustainability of football clubs in England - the troubles of local sports institutions are cropping up regularly in the Commons.

Westminster Hall: At 16:30, MPs will debate an e-petition on whether the parental rights of a parent guilty of murdering the other parent should be automatically suspended.

Committees: Treasury, at 15:15, quizzes Financial Conduct Authority CEO Nikhil Rathi. Likely topics include the proposed "call-in" power in the Financial Services and Markets Bill, which would allow ministers to intervene in the FCO's regulatory work.

Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (16:00) concludes its inquiry into reforming private housing, with witnesses from local government, followed by junior minister Felicity Buchan.

Lords: The session begins at 14:30 with the introduction of Lord Swire, the Conservative former Europe Minister, Hugo Swire. And Kuldip Sahota, Labour former leader of Telford and Wrekin council.

Peers are then due to complete committee consideration of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill - although it might spill over into Wednesday.

Votes at this stage of debate are rare, but expect plenty when the next stage of debate, report, is reached. Interestingly, despite the political head of steam behind this bill, no date has been announced for those debates.

Tuesday 8 November

Commons: Foreign Office Questions at 11:30.

Ten Minute Rule Bill: Conservative Sir George Howarth wants to promote employee share ownership for the lower paid.

The main debate will be on a Labour Opposition Day motion - to be announced.

Westminster Hall: Debates include Conservative Tom Hunt (11:00) on the use of Novotel Ipswich as asylum accommodation.

Committees: DCMS, at 10:00, questions police chiefs and authorities responsible for fan safety in their inquiry into safety at major sporting events.

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (10.30) looks at fraudulent company registrations, with anti-fraud experts, banking representatives and Companies House policy director Martin Swain.

Defence (10:30) follows up its devastating report on women in the armed forces a year ago, by quizzing minister Baroness Goldie.

Health and Social Care (11:00) begins its new inquiry on NHS England's new-look Integrated Care Systems and their ability to deliver joined-up health and care services, with evidence from Chris Hopson of NHS England and former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, who now chairs NHS Norfolk and Waveney.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (14:30) questions the National Farmers' Union, other agricultural organisations, the British Retail Consortium, food distributors and retailers about rising food prices.

Rising food prices will be on the menu at the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Lords: The new Lord Bishop of Leicester the Rt Rev Martyn Snow, is introduced, from 14:30. Then peers will process a series of new regulations covering policing the Armed Forces, Nationality and Borders, Offensive Weapons, Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems On Ships, Drivers' Hours Tachographs, and International Road Haulage Licensing.

Finally, Conservative Lord Moylan, leads a debate on the report by the Built Environment Committee: Meeting Housing Demand.

It concluded that too many people live in expensive poor quality home - and that the government should unblock the planning system to boost the supply of housing. The same committee is following up with a report on the factors blocking high-quality public transport in towns and cities in England.

Wednesday 9 November

Commons: Northern Ireland Questions at 11:30 followed by Prime Minister's Questions at noon.

Ten Minute Rule Bill: Conservative Bob Blackman has a bill on licensing tobacco sales.

The main debates are on two backbench motions: first on human rights violations in Sri Lanka and then on levelling up rural Britain.

Committees: Northern Ireland (09:30) hears evidence on the impact of paramilitarism on children from the Northern Ireland commissioner for children and young people.

Home Affairs (10:00) examines the state of the fire and rescue with HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services, Roy Wilsher, Mark Hardingham of the National Fire Chiefs Council, and Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack.

Westminster Hall: Conservative Derek Thomas has a debate on a nature and climate declaration (14:30).

Lords: From 11:00, peers take what will probably be a rapid look at the detail of Lord Foster of Bath's Private Members' Bill, the Domestic Premises (Electrical Safety Certificate) Bill, and then there's a debate on the national plan for music education.