What's on in the Lords
26 November 2021
Discover what questions, debates and bills are coming up in the Lords from the 29 November – 3 December.
Catch up
Monday 29 November
Questions
Members questioned the government for 40 minutes on:
- COVID-19: vaccine donations to other countries
- discharge of sewage into rivers and coastal waters
- football club ownership: ‘fit and proper person’ test
- plans to sell missiles to the government of Ukraine.
Legislation
Members ‘tidied-up’ the Armed Forces Bill at third reading.
The Lords began further examination (report stage) of the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill.
The main debate (second reading) of the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill took place.
Tuesday 30 November
Questions
Members questioned the government for 40 minutes on:
- Department for Work and Pensions: outsourcing the telephone services
- domestic abuse: ensuring older people are aware of all forms of abuse and the support available
- using British steel in ships and submarines built for the Royal Navy
- 2022 Qatar World Cup: human rights and journalistic freedoms
Legislation
Members started the main debate (second reading) of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill.
Regulations
In Grand Committee, the Lords considered regulations on:
- credit institutions and investment firms
- terrorism prevention
- early expiry of Coronavirus Act provisions
- climate-related financial disclosures for UK companies
- the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act
- electric vehicle smart charge points
- renewable transport fuel obligations
- and network and information systems regulations.
Wednesday 1 December
Questions
Members questioned the government for 40 minutes on:
- water companies: delivering the first stage of reductions in the level of sewage discharged into rivers and the sea
- benefits of early years interventions
- HGV driving test requirements
- ambulance response times.
Private notice question
Members quizzed the government on reducing HIV and AIDS in an urgent question from Lord Fowler (Crossbench), granted by the Lord Speaker.
Legislation
Members began further examination (report stage) of the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill.
The House started the main debate (second reading) of the National Insurance Contributions Bill.
Debates
Members debated a ‘motion to regret’ on school teachers pay and conditions in England, put forward by Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour).
Regulations
Members considered coronavirus self-isolation and face covering regulations.
Thursday 2 December
Questions
Members questioned the government for 40 minutes on:
- appointment of the Patient Safety Commissioner
- Oil and Gas Authority: meeting the UK’s net-zero emissions commitments
- Home improvement environmental standards: guidance to homeowners and landlords
- COVID-19: vaccination programmes in developing countries
Private notice question
Members quizzed the government on ongoing power outages across the North of England in an urgent question from Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative), granted by the Lord Speaker.
Debates
The House of Lords debated:
- the value of the BBC
- Afghanistan: assessment of poverty and hunger
- detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
The following short debates took place in Grand Committee:
- NHS England liability costs
- protecting vulnerable people from financial fraud
- concerns in the report by the National Infrastructure Commission 'The Second National Infrastructure Assessment: Baseline Report'
- amending the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to include sporting events.
Friday 3 December
Members began the main debate (second reading) of the following private members' bills:
- House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill
- Cigarette Stick Health Warnings Bill
The Lords also examined the Education (Environment and Sustainable Citizenship) Bill at committee stage.
Get involved
Watch
Questions, debates and scrutiny of legislation is streamed live online for free. Watch chamber and Lords committee meetings on Parliament TV.
Read
All business in the House of Lords chamber and in Grand Committee is transcribed and available to read from around three hours after it happens. Read it free online in Lords Hansard.
Follow on Twitter
Visit @UKHouseofLords on Twitter for highlights of each day’s work in the House.
Follow the hashtag #HouseofLords for what’s happening, or #LordsQs for details of questions put to the government at the start of business Monday to Thursday.
Other social media
Follow the House of Lords on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for highlights, photos and videos from the UK Parliament’s second chamber.
Subscribe to the House of Lords newsletter
Sign up and receive weekly updates on the latest news stories, draft law scrutiny, committee work and discussions happening in the Lords.
Image: copyright House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris
Latest from the Lords
