What's on in the Lords 31 January - 4 February
28 January 2022
Catch up on what happened from 31 January to 4 February in the House of Lords:
Questions
Members questioned the government on access to NHS dental care, legal aid for social welfare law cases and school pupil absentee numbers.
Legislation
Health and care
In legislation, members concluded detailed examination of the Health and Care Bill with health and adult social care and the Health Service Safety Investigation Body on the agenda.
Building safety
Members had the first opportunity to debate the key principles and main purpose of the Building Safety Bill at second reading.
The House of Lords has continued to press the government on fire safety, building safety defect costs and tenant and leaseholder rights through Lords questions and amendments made in the Fire Safety Bill.
Debates
The House of Lords debated concerns about the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, plus in Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, rising household energy costs were on the agenda.
Catch up
Friday 4 February
Legislation
The House of Lords continued detailed examination of the Health and Care Bill at committee stage.
Thursday 3 February
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- UK-based companies accessing investments following Brexit
- killing of wild birds to protect game bird interests
- school pupil absentee numbers in January 2022
- imposing benefit sanctions.
Statement
Members questioned the government on a recent statement in the House of Commons on vaccination as a condition of deployment.
Legislation
Members continued line by line check of the Nationality and Borders Bill at committee stage.
Debate
In Grand Committee, members debated rising household energy costs and impact on global democratic values from autocrats, kleptocrats and populists.
Wednesday 2 February
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- impact of passport and visa requirements on school trips from the European Union to the UK
- work of the Independent Office for Police Conduct
- tackling power of attorney being used as a form of economic abuse
- the evacuation of Pen Farthing and his animals from Kabul.
Private Notice Question
Members questioned the government on unusable personal protective equipment (PPE) in an urgent question.
Legislation
Building Safety
Members debated the key principles and main purpose of the Building Safety Bill at second reading.
The House of Lords has continued to press the government on fire safety, building safety defect costs and tenant and leaseholder rights through Lords questions and amendments made in the Fire Safety Bill.
Subsidy control
In Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, members continued their line by line check of the Subsidy Control Bill at committee stage.
Secondary legislation
Motion to regret
In a motion to regret put forward by Lord Clement-Jones, members debated concerns that the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice:
1) does not constitute a legitimate legal or ethical framework for the police’s use of facial recognition technology
2) is incompatible with human rights requirements surrounding such technology.
Secondary (or delegated) legislation is law created by ministers under powers given to them by an Act of Parliament.
Tuesday 1 February
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- legal aid for social welfare law cases
- facilitating imports from the European Union
- accessibility of facilities at railway stations
- overseas travel arrangements for ministers.
Legislation
Members continued line by line check of the Nationality and Borders Bill.
Debate
House of Lords pressed the government on actions they are taking to reduce ambulance response times.
In Grand Committee, members debated a recent report from the International Agreements Committee on UK membership of the trans-Pacific trade agreement.
Monday 31 January
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- protecting and promoting human rights in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait
- intelligence challenges posed by Russia
- access to NHS dental care
- COVID-19 antiviral pills.
There were also urgent questions, following recent statements in the House of Commons, on:
Legislation
The House of Lords continued to examine and make changes to the Health and Care Bill at committee stage.
In Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, members started line by line check of the Subsidy Control Bill at committee stage.
Debate
Data protection was on the agenda as members debated safeguards to protect individual data subject rights.
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Watch
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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.
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