House of Lords Virtual Business now available in audio on YouTube ahead of first day of fully virtual sitting
An audio recording of the virtual business undertaken by the House of Lords is now available on its YouTube channel.
The move to make audio material from virtual sittings available to the public comes ahead of the House's first day of fully virtual business which will take place tomorrow (Thursday 23 April)
The House is conducting Oral Questions, Private Notice Questions (Lords urgent questions), ministerial statements and non-legislative debates online only with Members using Microsoft Teams to ask and answer questions remotely in sessions chaired by the Lord Speaker.
These virtual proceedings cannot currently be broadcast live but full audio streams will now be made available as soon as possible after the business concludes.
- Yesterday's oral questions are available to listen to here
- Today's oral questions which featured four questions on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic is available here
- Today the Lord Speaker also allowed a Private Notice Question on deaths in care homes caused by COVID-19 which can be listened to here
Tomorrow's business, which will include the full day being conducted completely online, will also be available on YouTube after business concludes.
Commenting ahead of tomorrow's fully virtual sitting Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, said:
“Tomorrow, the House of Lords will go completely virtual – the first time that either House has achieved this. Oral Questions and Private Notice Questions have already been conducted in this way since Tuesday but tomorrow, in addition, two debates will be conducted virtually.
“The first in the name of Baroness Wheeler is on COVID-19 and social care services and the second in the name of Lord German is on prisons and rehabilitation. There will also be a Private Notice Question from Baroness Smith of Basildon, Opposition Leader in the Lords on cross departmental working on the distribution, supply and manufacture of PPE. I am pleased that the public will now be able to listen back to these proceedings on YouTube.
“I emphasise the need for members to work from home and to come to Westminster only if absolutely necessary. I pay tribute to all those members who have followed this public health advice. It resulted in only 32 members attending, including Ministers and whips - one of the lowest overall attendances for the House of Lords in recent times.”
