What's on in the Lords 27-30 March
24 March 2023
Questions
Members will quiz the government on topics including securing peace in Occupied Palestinian Territories, food banks, reducing queues at airports, school meal nutrition and bus services.
Bills and regulations
Legislative scrutiny this week includes the 'tidy up' of the Energy Bill, the Public Order Bill returns for consideration of Commons changes and members continue line by line check of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill. Members will consider the Windsor Framework regulations on Wednesday.
Debates
Look out for a day of debates on Thursday on topics including adult social care, financial pressure on higher education and support for performing arts.
Read on for more.
Catch up
Monday
From 2.30pm
Questions
Members quizzed the government on:
- securing peace in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
- reducing dependence on food banks
- reducing levels of processed sugar in school meals
- citizenship of Shamima Begum.
Private notice question
Members quizzed the government in an urgent question on the Children's Commissioner's report on the strip searching of children.
Legislation
Members continued detailed scrutiny of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.
From 3.45pm
In Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, committee stage of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill began.
Tuesday
From 2.30pm
Questions
Members pressed the government for 40 minutes on:
- reducing queues at airports for citizens returning to the UK
- mental health impact on jurors of sitting in serious criminal trials
- expanding the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunisation programme
- United Nations World Water Development report.
Legislation
The House voted on amendments to the Public Order Bill and Energy Bill.
Regulations
The House raised concerns on direct payments to farmers in a motion to decline to approve the regulations as well as a 'motion to regret' that the regulations introduce significant reductions to the basic payments provided to many farmers at a time when costs are high.
From 3.45pm
In Grand Committee, members considered regulations on:
- occupational pension schemes
- higher-risk building work
- designation of discovered artifacts
- local government elections.
Wednesday
From 3pm
Questions
Members quizzed the government on:
- granting British passports to Hong Kong military service veterans
- verifying electoral registration, voting and donations by overseas citizens
- accountability for any money wasted in the Ministry of Defence procurement programme
- first meeting between the Secretary of State for Scotland and the new First Minister.
Urgent questions
Members quizzed the government in urgent questions on breaches of player protection at William Hill and the oil spill in Pooler Harbour.
Statement
Members questioned the government following a statement on the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan.
Regulations
Members considered the Windsor Framework regulations.
Legislation
Committee stage of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill continued.
Thursday
From 11am
Questions
The House questioned the government on:
- commitment to building 300,000 houses a year
- impact of the introduction of arrivals duty free at UK airports
- provision of bus services in England since 2019
- supplying of shells capped with depleted uranium to Ukraine.
Debates
In the chamber, members debated the future of adult social care, addressing climate change in developing counties and financial pressures on higher education.
In Grand Committee, members held four short debates on supported housing, support for the performing arts sector, investment for the transport sector and the retirement age of 68 for newly recruited prison officers.
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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Image: copyright House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris
