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Hey team.
This week’s biggie is the Environment Bill.
It’s a huge piece of legislation which the government hopes will help deliver the “most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth”.
You might remember there was an Environment Bill making its way through Parliament before the general election. This one is largely the same, but with a few tweaks.
We also get the first ten minute rule motions of this parliamentary session.
An MP has ten minutes to make the case for their bill. Another MP can oppose it for ten minutes. If it passes, it’ll go to second reading as a private members’ bill.
And Tuesday is opposition day.
That means it’s one of the 20 time per session when Labour sets the agenda.
You’ll be deeply unsurprised to learn that the two topics they’ve chosen are tax avoidance and social care. There’s no material outcome from these debates, but it’s a way for the opposition to make sure their pet topics get some air time in the chamber.
Have a great week, and in the meantime feel free to tweet me, or just reply to this email.
Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)
No votes scheduled
Hong Kong Bill
Gives Hong Kong residents the right to live in the UK. Ten minute rule motion presented by Alistair Carmichael.
Workers (Definition and Rights) Bill
Establishes a legal definition of employment, which includes zero-hours contracts and agency workers. The aim is to prevent abuse of people working under these arrangements. Ten minute rule motion presented by Chris Stephens.
Environment Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England (part), Wales (part), Scotland (part), Northern Ireland (part)
Lays out the legal framework for environmental governance after Brexit. This includes establishing the Office of Environmental Protection to hold public authorities to account, putting the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan into law, and requiring the government to set long-term targets. Also introduces a range of measures, including: enabling charges for single-use plastic items, allowing deposit return schemes (where you pay a bit extra for items like bottled drinks, but recoup that amount when the bottle is returned), and standardising what items can be collected for recycling by local authorities in England.
Draft bill (PDF)
No votes scheduled
No votes scheduled
Want more?
Check your MP’s voting record and read the day’s debates at TheyWorkForYou.
Passed
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