What's on in the Lords 11-14 December
8 December 2023
Questions
This week members question the government on UK banking hubs, a vaccine for bovine tuberculosis, risks caused by loot boxes in video games, and levelling-up priorities for the North East of England.
Debates
Members will debate fire safety regulations in England, the current threat posed by North Korea, and proposals to loan the Elgin Marbles to Greece.
Bills
The House will begin detailed line by line examination of the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill and the Pedicabs (London) Bill on Monday, and continue to examine the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill on Thursday.
Committees
- The Industry and Regulators Committee continues its inquiry into UK regulators.
- The International Relations and Defence Committee hears from Air Chief Marshal Lord Peach, Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the Western Balkans.
- The European Affairs Committee hears from the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, about the UK-EU relationship.
Read on for more.
Thursday
From 11am
Questions
Members will press the government on:
- accessing AI-generated public services
- sustainability and quality of existing buildings
- levelling-up priorities for the North East of England
- vector-borne diseases.
Debates
Members will debate:
- fire safety regulations in England
- proposals to loan the Elgin Marbles to Greece
- current threat posed by North Korea.
Legislation
From 1pm
In Grand Committee, the Lords will continue line by line examination of the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill.
Catch up
Monday
From 2.30pm
Questions
The Lords questioned the government on:
- hydrogen heating
- banking hubs
- cash retentions in the construction sector
- ending of local enterprise partnerships’ funding.
Legislation
Members began line by line examination of the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill in the chamber and the Pedicabs (London) Bill.
Statement
Members quizzed the government following a statement on cyber democratic influence.
Debates
Promoting the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was up for debate following its 75th anniversary on Sunday 10 December.
Tuesday
Questions
Members quizzed the government on:
- European Political Community Summit 2024
- social care staffing
- vaccine for bovine tuberculosis
- illegal annexation in Guyana
Regulations
The House debated secondary legislation on overseas electors followed by a debate on a motion to regret the regulations put forward by Lord Khan of Burnley.
From 3.45pm
In Grand Committee, members considered regulations on:
- data protection
- Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
- immigration
- Sentencing Act 2020
- legal services.
Legislation
Members completed all remaining stages of the National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates Bill).
Debate
The House debated the impact of the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act 2019 on organ donations.
Wednesday
Questions
The Lords questioned the government on:
- private equity firms in financial difficulty
- risks caused by loot boxes in video games
- homeless refugees
- lobbying of fossil fuel companies.
Legislation
The House continued line by line examination of the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill.
Regulations
Members considered regulations on:
Members also debated a motion to regret the delinked payments regulations.
In Grand Committee, the Lords examined regulations on:
- employment rights
- financial promotion
- benchmarks and capital requirements
- Equality Act 2010
- York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023.
Debates
The NHS Long Term Plan to reduce the number of people with learning disabilities and autism in inpatient mental health care was also up for debate.
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 credit: House of Lords / Roger Harris
