The House of Keys could be a Brexit-free zone when it sits today.

That’s the enticing prospect offered up by an agenda that covers plenty of subjects for question time, but not the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Given that the European Union and Trade Bill has completed its passage through the House of Keys and is going on up to the Legislative Council - with the instruction for MLCs to get on with it - it is possible that the B word will not be mentioned.

It is also possible that Chief Minister will be asked to give an update statement on the situation given the latest developments on the UK’s negotiations.

Putting that aside, MHKs have only one piece of legislation to consider today (Tuesday), with the detailed scrutiny of the Criminal Evidence Bill due to take place.

The bill, which among other things updates Manx law on the admissibility of phone records and text messages as court evidence, a mere 15 years after the UK managed it, is due to go through the clauses stage.

Education Minister Graham Cregeen will need to be on his toes during oral question time and also with supplying written answers.

Among the topics he is to be quizzed on are whether teachers have been given any advice over the flu vaccine, whether the exams board for maths is set to change, and how much of school dinners comes from locally produced food. The capacity on school buses is also to be raised, but that matter is addressed to Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer.

Steam Packet

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan will no doubt be delighted that Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) wants to know more about the deal in which the government bought the Steam Packet.

The Ramsey MHK’s continuing forensic examination of government policy and performance is approaching superhero status - relatively speaking.

In this instance, Hooperman wants to know how the shareholder agreement, which requires the Treasury to approve the operational business plans of the company, meets the Tynwald objective that the company operates at ’arm’s length’ from the government.

If previous government responses to questions about the Steam Packet deal are anything to go by, we will learn that taking control of the company is good news for everyone in the Isle of Man, the doubters have obviously misunderstood the nuances of the deal and therefore the question is wrong and that there is nothing to worry about.

Liberal Vannin leader Kate Beecroft (Douglas South) meanwhile wants to know whether registration and inspection standards are being met at Department of Health and Social Care facilities and also what plans her successor as health minister, David Ashford, has to improve waiting times.

Expenses

As mentioned earlier, the Legislative Council will have a first look at the Brexit Bill today. We can probably expect some remarks - in response to the calls not to drag their feet - that MLCs don’t procrastinate, but that any haste will not be at the expense of scrutiny. Rightly so.

They will also be taking a further look at the Payment of Members’ Expenses (Amendment) Bill, which will stop any Tynwald member who is suspended from being entitled to expenses.