Lords pauses for recess and returns on Monday 22 February

Since the start of 2021, members have challenged the government on its decisions and actions in more than 35 questions, examined 14 draft laws and multiple new regulations, and continued investigative committee work.

Questions

The House of Lords has pressed the government on a range of topics. For example mandatory hotel quarantine, Holocaust education, COVID-19 vaccines, reinstating the ‘everybody in’ programme, the quality of free school meals, freight industry delays and more.

Watch highlights on the House of Lords YouTube channel.

Legislation

Asking government to think again

The House of Lords is a revising chamber: it checks the text of a bill (draft law) line by line and puts forward changes for the Commons and the government to consider.

Most recently, this work has included asking the government to think again on trade deals with countries accused of committing human rights abuses or genocide.

Keep track of the latest bills 

• Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill
• Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill
• Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill
• Domestic Abuse Bill
• Financial Services Bill
• Medicines and Medical Devices Bill
• Non-Domestic Rating Bills
• Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill
• Pensions Bill
• Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill
• Trade Bill

Debates

The House of Lords debates current and wide-ranging subjects, allowing members to put their expertise to good use. Legislation has dominated Lords business since the pandemic but members had the chance to debate these issues in 2021:

• UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• Taxation, the Armed Forces and Antisemitism 
• International Relations and Defence Committee report on the Pacific Alliance
• Economic Affairs Committee report on social care funding.

Committee work

Reports

The Lords International Relations and Defence Committee published its report on the UK’s relationship with Afghanistan. It calls for the UK and NATO to remain in Afghanistan until peace talks conclude. 

The Lords Science and Technology Committee published its report into healthy ageing, warning that the government is likely to miss its targets and making recommendations on actions to remedy this. Its Catapults report is also out now.

The International Agreements Committee published its report on international agreements with Kenya, Norway and Iceland, and Vietnam, and has drawn the agreement with Kenya to the special attention of the House.

Give your views: open 'calls for evidence'

• EU Goods Sub-Committee: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• EU Services Sub-Committee: future UK-EU relations on trade in services

Catch up with the current investigations

• Common Frameworks Committee: workings between the UK government and the devolved administrations
• Communications and Digital Committee: freedom of expression online
• COVID-19 Committee: the long-term impact on wellbeing of living online
• Economic Affairs Committee: Quantative Easing inquiry
• EU Committee: future UK-EU relations governance
• National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee: current policies and iniatives
• Public Services Committee: 'levelling up' and public services
• Risk Assessment and Risk Planning Committee: disriptive national hazards

Back to business

There's a packed schedule for the House's return. View what's on from Monday 22 February.

Podcast

The February episode of the House of Lords Podcast is out now, featuring an interview with Lord Cashman for LGBT+ History Month on his work in the Lords advocating equality and his role in co-founding Stonewall.

Image: copyright House of Lords 2021 / photography by Roger Harris