Mark D'Arcy

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Another week of legislative loose end-tying, with Parliament ticking over, and no votes expected in either the Commons or the Lords.

This is punctuated by the Autumn Statement on Wednesday, which will be pretty much the first major policy event of Theresa May's government.

Just how revealing will it be? What will it say about the new government's policy priorities (and it is a new government); about the relationship between the PM and the Chancellor, which is the jugular vein of any administration; and about the balance of opinion in the Cabinet on Brexit issues?

Elsewhere there are some interesting issues being kicked around - watch Thursday's health inequalities debate, in particular, and some interesting issues will be explored on the committee corridor.

Here's my rundown of the week ahead:

Monday

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MPs return to work on Monday, and peers on Tuesday - and it's always interesting to note who's tanned and relaxed after a mini-break in the sun, and who's pallid and sniffling after a few extra days of constituency work.

The balance will be interesting because it will give some indication of who's eying a possible election...

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It was supposed to be a quiet demi-week, leading to a mini-break for half term, but events, dear boy...

Last week MPs were being briefed that there would be no votes at all in the Commons, and there are still none, but the ripples from the High Court ruling to require Parliamentary approval for the start of the Brexit process, the triggering of the fabled Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, may draw them in.

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So far as most of the participants were concerned, it wasn't about Keith Vaz.

For most MPs, Monday's vote, which installed the former chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee as a member of the Justice Committee, was a routine rubber-stamping exercise.

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Both peers and MPs will be involved in the last rites of the Investigatory Powers Bill, this week, with a third reading in the Lords and then ping-pong between the Houses to agree its final form.

Will there be any brinkmanship over the "Leveson amendment" added by peers earlier this month? The government is keen to get the bill into law before existing internet surveillance powers lapse at the end of the year.

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It's one for the Kremlinologists, but the internal election amongst Conservative MPs, this week, for places on the new Brexit select committee will provide an intriguing glimpse of the balance of opinion on the Tory benches of the Commons.

Around 20 MPs of varying seniority and repute are chasing the 10 seats reserved for Conservatives on the committee - and my sources suggest some very big names are interested.

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There are strong signals this this is going to be Heathrow Week - with the government at least indicating its preference on the issue of airport expansion in the South of England.

Expect a massive row - the more so because a decision in favour of Heathrow expansion has already been heavily trailed.

What does the government's proposal to pardon gay men convicted in the past for sexual offences that would not be crimes now portend for tomorrow's private member's bill, proposed by the SNP's John Nicholson?

Mr Nicholson's bill aims to accomplish the same objective - for England and Wales, incidentally, it would not apply in Scotland. He thought he had government backing, with a promise of "no tricks" and when I spoke to him this morning, he was far from clear what was going on.

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With continuing chatter about a possible announcement about Heathrow Airport expansion, it's possible that a statement from the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling could provide the biggest parliamentary action of next week.

Otherwise it's a week of humdrum legislation, punctuated by some interesting-looking committee hearings - until we get to a crop of important private members' bills in both Lords and Commons, on the Friday.

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The Commons debate on Brexit - or at least on the need for proper parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit - is just an appetiser for conflicts to come.

One way or another, most politicians in the Chamber will spend the rest of their working lives grappling with the implications of the decision taken in June. And Parliament will certainly offer many channels for doing so.