Lords questions government on social mobility and carbon neutral homes
4 December 2020
At the start of business each day in the House of Lords, members question government activities and decisions in Lords Questions.
This week, from Monday 7 to Thursday 10 December, members challenge government action on public service broadcasting online, the peace process in Colombia, social mobility and carbon neutral homes.
Catch up: Wednesday 9 December
Catch up: Thursday 10 December
Catch up: Monday 7 December
Lord West of Spithead (Labour) questioned the government on whether a new UK warhead is required to extend Trident to 2049. Members discussed topics including the Atomic Weapons Establishment, plus government plans to prioritise cyber and space within its defence projects.
Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative) quizzed the government on its preparations for participation in the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Members discussed setting biodiversity targets, developing new wetlands and grasslands, and moving to subsidies that are conditional on good environmental outcomes.
Baroness Blower (Labour) questioned government assessments on support for human rights and the peace process in Colombia. Members discussed topics including the UK’s support of the Colombian Foundation for Press Freedom and support for environmental activists in the region who have become a target for violence.
Lord Bird (Crossbench) asked the government about the consequences of its policies to address the COVID-19 pandemic on social mobility in England. Members discussed support for children failing at school and levels of child poverty in the north of England.
Lords questions: 12pm on Tuesday 8 December
Lord Best (Crossbench) questioned the government on its plans to publish the heat and building strategy. Members discussed the move to clean energy and ensuring this does not increase fuel poverty, plus government plans for the transition from gas boilers to green alternatives in blocks of flats.
Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon (Labour) questioned the government on a review of public health information on the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that any linguistic, cultural and digital issues with such information are addressed. Members discussed developing bespoke COVID-19 communications to best target different groups of people and making sure no part of the country is left behind as vaccines become available.
Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat) questioned the government on the partnership between Netflix and the British Board of Film Classification to establish age ratings for streaming platforms. Members discussed subjects including methods for the UK to regulate international video streaming services and finding ways to encourage parents to follow age restrictions on video games.
Baroness Drake (Labour) asked the government about ensuring the Arcadia pension fund receives all contributions and assets agreed between its owners, trustees and The Pension Regulator. Members discussed topics including pension fund deficits and government plans to help companies protect their assets.
Catch up: Wednesday 9 December
Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (Liberal Democrat) asked the government about its plans to introduce legislation that will ensure the prominence of public service broadcasting online following a recent Ofcom Review. Members discussed the role of public service broadcasting in society and the impact of fake news on public trust.
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative) questioned the government on a review of the Community Resilience Development Framework in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members discussed topics including the potential to develop a reserve of NHS volunteers and whether the government will look into a windfall tax for companies that volunteered to support the country during the coronavirus outbreak.
Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party) quizzed the government on its plans to review gambling legislation. Members discussed developing a Leveson-type enquiry into the review of gambling legislation to better hear from victims of the industry and their families, plus whether the government plans to make gambling a public health issue.
Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood (Crossbench) asked the government about reforms proposed in the Prison Reform Trust report: 'No life, no freedom, no future' published on 3 December. Members discussed topics including adopting rehabilitation methods similar to those in Denmark and the impact of prisoner recalls on family relationships.
Lord Young of Norwood Green (Labour) asked the government an urgent question 'private notice question' on funding for a malaria vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Members discussed the impact of the proposed reduction in overseas aid on the malaria vaccine and the costs of the vaccine for low and middle income countries.
Catch up: Thursday 10 December
Baroness Crawley (Labour) pressed the government on resolving the issues faced by war widows who were required to surrender their War Widows Pension due to marriage or cohabitation. Members discussed topics including the government’s obligations to members of the armed forces and their families, and a timetable for action.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) asked the government about its plans to participate in and to promote the United Nations’ International Human Rights Day on Thursday 10 December. Members discussed ensuring support for human rights defenders are built into all Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office priority campaigns and providing legal protections to trans people in the UK.
Baroness Thornhill (Conservative) questioned the government on its target for carbon neutral homes by 2050 and improving energy efficiency standards for existing buildings. Members discussed the costs for building owners to install heat pumps in their properties by 2028 and implementing the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation that all homes have a rating of EPC band C by 2028.
Lord Young of Norwood Green (Labour) quizzed the government on the administration of puberty-blocker drugs to children under the age of 16. Members discussed ensuring services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are sufficiently resourced to provide psychological support for all young people with gender-related distress.