What's on in the Lords 17-21 April
14 April 2023
Questions
The House of Lords returns with members questions to government on topics including the music industry in England, addressing systemic racism, reforming Universal Credit, social care and financial literacy in schools.
Bills
This week, members continue further examination of the Energy Bill and begin line by line check of the Online Safety Bill.
Read on for more.
Friday
From 10am
The Lords will debate the key purpose and principles of the following private members’ bills:
- Electricity Transmission (Compensation) Bill
- Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill
- Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill
- Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill.
Catch up
Monday
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- the music industry in England
- West Papua: human rights
- anniversary of the Khojaly massacre
- addressing systemic racism against people of African descent.
Legislation
The Lords continued further examination (report stage) of the Energy Bill.
Debates
Away from the chamber in Grand Committee, members debated the following committee reports:
- Public Transport in Towns and Cities by the Built Environment Committee
- The Ties that Bind: Citizenship and Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Follow-up report by the Liaison Committee.
Tuesday
Questions
The House pressed the government for 40 minutes on:
- reforming Universal Credit
- supporting young female racing drivers
- UK proposals to the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
- Diphtheria.
Legislation
After questions, members continued to examine the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill at committee stage.
In Grand Committee, committee stage of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill continued.
Motion to regret
Members debated amendments to the short-term holding facility rules for immigration detainees in a 'motion to regret'. Put forward by Baroness Lister of Burtersett, the motion regrets that the proposed changes:
- remove important safeguards and reduce the standards for the lawful detention beyond 24 hours of migrants, including children and vulnerable adults, at the immigration detention facility in Manston, Kent
- that the Home Office has not consulted on these changes nor provided an adequate policy justification for them;
- that this potentially contentious legislation was brought into effect while the House was in recess.
Wednesday
Questions
Members quizzed the government on:
- VAT rates: building repairs and maintenance
- counselling for young people who used the services of the Tavistock clinic
- making local authority care challenge procedures more accessible and transparent
- Ukraine: arms supplies.
Legislation
The Lords began detailed checks (committee stage) of the Online Safety Bill.
Regulations
In Grand Committee, members considered regulations on:
- the microchipping of cats and dogs in England
- coronation licensing hours
- service police complaints procedures
- the sale of Silicon Valley Bank UK.
Thursday
Questions
The Lords questioned the government on:
- promoting financial literacy in schools
- the moral and legal responsibilities of countries intervening in conflicts with regards to displaced people
- the humanitarian crises in Yemen and South Sudan
- pre-payment meters.
Legislation
Members continued committee stage of the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill.
From 1pm
In Grand Committee, line by line check of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill continued at committee stage.
Get involved
Watch
Questions, debates and scrutiny of legislation are 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.
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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.
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Image: copyright House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris
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