What's on in the Lords 22-26 January
19 January 2024
Debates
The UK-Rwanda Treaty is in the spotlight on Monday as members debate a motion not to ratify it alongside the International Agreements Committee's report calling on the government to implement significant legal and practical steps before it can be fully implemented.
The delivery of maternity services in England, closure of high street banks, biodiversity and endangered species, and the current situation in Ukraine are also on the agenda in Lords debates.
Questions
This week members of the House of Lords press the government on supporting British innovators, absenteeism in English schools, gender equality, a smoke-free generation by 2030 and funding the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Bills
The House begins line by line examination of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill and the Victims and Prisoners Bill. Members will also make further changes to the Investigatory Powers Bill and ‘tidy up' the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill.
Committees
The Economic Affairs Committee hears from Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, as part of its inquiry into national debt, and the Public Services Committee continues its inquiry into the transition from education to employment for young disabled people.
Read on for more.
Friday
From 11am
Debates
The current situation in Ukraine is on the agenda.
Catch up
Monday
From 2.30pm
Questions
The House quizzed the government on:
- support for British innovators
- non-custodial sentences
- environmental policies
- female domestic homicides.
Urgent question
Members also pressed the government following an urgent question on measles cases in the UK.
Debates
Members debated the International Agreements Committee's report on the UK-Rwanda Treaty. In its report, the committee recommends that significant legal and practical steps need to be taken before the safeguards provided in the Rwanda Treaty can be fully implemented.
Members also debated a motion put forward by Lord Goldsmith that the government should not approve the UK-Rwanda agreement on an asylum partnership until the protections it provides have been fully implemented, as Parliament is being asked to make a judgement that Rwanda is safe.
Members agreed to the motion putting on record their concerns and the need for the government to delay the treaty until safeguards have been put in place. The government can continue with ratification if it provides a statement to Parliament explaining its reasoning
Statement
Members quizzed the government following a statement on free childcare.
Legislation
From 3.45pm
In Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, members began line by line examination of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill.
Tuesday
From 2.30pm
Questions
Members questioned the government on:
- Freedom of Information scheme
- deaths casued by NHS waiting lists
- UK pension investors
- the Office for Environmental Protection.
Legislation
The House 'tidied up' the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill and made further changes to the Investigatory Powers Bill.
Regulations
From 3.45pm
In Grand Committee, work away from the chamber, members debated regulations on:
- Financial Services Act 2021
- prescription of non-domestic rating multipliers
- Iran sanctions
- Russia sanctions
- postal and proxy voting.
Wednesday
From 3pm
Questions
Members pressed the government on:
- changes to train timetables
- absenteeism in English schools
- gender equality
- Post Office directors charged for breach of statutory duties.
Statements
Members also quizzed the government following statements on the Houthi maritime attacks and recent extreme weather.
Legislation
Members completed second reading and all remaining stages of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill, plus members began line by line scrutiny of the Victims and Prisoners Bill and detailed examination of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill continued.
Thursday
From 11am
Questions
The Lords will press the government on:
- climate risk models
- a smoke-free generation
- funding the reconstruction of Ukraine
- military interventions overseas.
Debates
The delivery of maternity services in England, impact of the closure of high street banks, and support for biodiversity and endangered species are all on the agenda in Lords debates.
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 credit: House of Lords / Roger Harris
