Clear the Lobby: What laws are MPs voting on this week (w/c 13th July)?

Welcome to our weekly feature courtesy of Sebastian Salek, the brains behind Clear the Lobby, working to bring you all the laws MPs are voting on this week, and explained in plain English!

Hey team.

A busy week of legislating as we head towards summer recess.

Some bills are even getting rushed through the Commons in a day so they can make it onto the statute books before the House rises.

Elsewhere, MPs appoint members of the Intelligence and Security Committee on Monday.

It’s a joint committee that scrutinises the work of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ. The prime minister has nominated the membership which MPs have to approve. He’s come under fire for not doing this sooner after the last election.

There’s also trouble brewing over who will be the chair. Chris Grayling is expected to get the job despite critics citing a catalogue of errors in his ministerial career.

The important thing is that once the committee is up and running, it’ll pave the way for the publication of the report on alleged Russian meddling in UK politics.

Wednesday brings an Opposition Day debate.

This time it’s the SNP setting the agenda. Precise subject still TBC.

And on Thursday the topic turns to renovating Parliament.

The current plan is to ship everyone out for several years while the whole crumbling building is restored. But that’s not to everyone’s taste, so expect a variety of views on how the multi-billion-pound project could be tackled.

It’s just a general debate though, so no laws will be passed.

Until next week. In the meantime, feel free to tweet me, or just reply to this email.

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

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MONDAY 13 JULY

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Bill – all stages
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Authorises departmental funding until March next year. In practice, it wraps up all the Estimates Day debates and puts them into law.
Draft bill (PDF)

Stamp Duty Land Tax (Temporary Relief) Bill – all stages
Applies to: England, Northern Ireland
Cuts stamp duty on property purchases up to £500,000. Follows the chancellor’s announcement last week.
Commons Library briefing

TUESDAY 14 JULY

Disabled Facilities Grants (Review) Bill
Requires a review of the Disabled Facilities Grants system, which offers people with a permanent disability up to £30,000 to make their home more liveable, e.g. by installing a stair lift. Ten minute rule motion presented by Liz Twist.

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Scraps Coalition-era plans to reduce the number of constituencies from 650 to 600. Sets a deadline of 1 July 2023 for the next boundary review to be completed. It will be based on the number of registered voters as of last December (the current constituencies are based on data from 2000).
Draft bill / Commons library briefing

WEDNESDAY 15 JULY

Tree-Lined Streets Bill
Requires building developers to ensure that the streets of major new developments are lined with trees. Ten minute rule motion presented by Chris Clarkson.

THURSDAY 16 JULY

Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Exempts public toilets from paying business rates. This was a commitment at the 2018 and 2020 Budgets.
Draft bill / Commons Library briefing

FRIDAY 17 JULY

No votes scheduled

Want more?
Check your MP’s voting record and read the day’s debates at TheyWorkForYou.

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Domestic Abuse Bill – goes to Lords
• Magistrates (Retirement Age) Bill – goes to second reading
• Pregnancy and Maternity (Redundancy Protection) – goes to second reading

Click here to read details of the bills in last week’s newsletter.

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