There could be fireworks in the House of Keys today when the chairman of a regulatory body will urge MHKs not to back moves to that position a non-political appointment.

The Communications Bill will finally reappear for consideration of amendments made to it by the Legislative Council.

One such key amendment was to change the current situation to ensure the chairman of the Communications Commission was not a political appointment.

The current chairman is Bill Malarkey, who is also the Home Affairs Minister. He will urge MHKs to reject the amendment.

Whenever changes are made by Legislative Council to draft legislation, they must return to the House of Keys for approval.

MHKs were originally due to consider the changes in June and, when it was pulled, we were told October. But, despite there being two sittings of the Keys last month, it is only today (Tuesday) that the bill has resurfaced.

The Bill is to bring regulation of broadcasting and telecommunications under one piece of legislation. The Communications Commission regulates and licenses both sectors.

Another amendment, which broadens the definition of public service broadcaster so that it could include ’another licence-holder’, as specified, in addition to Manx Radio.

That does not appear to be facing any specific objection.

For those who like their intrigue, it is the job of Mr Malarkey to move consideration of the LegCo amendments to the Bill. Don’t expect him to be too fulsome in his praise of all of them.

After that excitement, the Income Tax Bill 2019 will be debated.

Income Tax Bills tend to be an annual occurrence, to keep up to date with changes, and this one aims to put onto a permanent footing temporary measures that are already in place.

It also contains enabling provisions that would help the Treasury track down foreign tax debts, in connection with certain international arrangements.

The Public Sector Pensions (Amendment) Bill, meanwhile, may complete its passage through the Keys. Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas is hoping that, if it passes through the scrutiny of the clauses stage, he will get backing to seek the third reading it requires before being sent to Legislative Council for further consideration.

In keeping with the much-vaunted and definitely-not-going-to-come-unstuck ambitious government legislative programme, a new law will also make an appearance. The Registration of Business Names (Amendment) Bill will receive a formal first reading but there is no debate at this stage.

The purpose of the Bill is to create a ’public register of companies, firms, or individuals carrying on a business under a name other than their legal name’. This, we are told, is a ’matter primarily of consumer protection’.

It is possible that there has been an outbreak of laryngitis among MHKs, as only two questions are tabled for oral answer.

They concern which licensing laws apply to cruise ships and progress on the Final Expenditure Revenue Sharing Agreement.

The written questions are more intriguing. Clare Barber (Douglas East) wants to know what the term ’touch and go’ means in an aviation context and how many ’such events’ have occurred in the past three years at Ronaldsway.

She also has written questions on the booking system for the Villa Gaiety complex and electricity account credit.

The Legislative Council, presumably waiting for more legislation from the House of Keys, so that members can tinker with it, have just the third reading of the Regulation of Care (Amendment) Bill to consider.

But that leaves MLCs time to debate a motion from Kate Lord-Brennan that, if passed, would see a LegCo select committee set up to consider preparation of upcoming legislative business in the upper chamber, and the outcome of past such business, along with the ’functioning of the council’.

Could it be that MLCs are fed up of hearing MHKs talking about reforming the Legislative Council and never quite achieving it, so they reckon they might just as well come up with something themselves? We shall see.