This is a joint committee of members of the Business and Enterprise, Defence, Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees which, every year, scrutinises the government's annual report on the control of strategic exports, including weapons.

BBC: Week ahead

Peers then considered business of the House motions and the joint committee report on Lords reform.

BBC: Peer: Students face 'scandalous discrimination'

Velazquez's report is not only an indictment of the president's support (or lack thereof) for small businesses, it is also an attempt by the joint budget committee to direct more funds to small business initiatives.

FORBES: Funding For The Little Guy

According to an analysis in July by Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation, about 3% of all taxpayers with a net positive business income will be subject to the higher marginal tax rates.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Home Office stressed in their joint response to the committee that they would "place no cap on the number of genuine students coming from across the world to study here".

BBC: Foreign students to stay in migration figures