Clear the Lobby: What laws are MPs voting on this week (w/c 2nd November)

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.

As England prepares to lock down, MPs return to Parliament (physically or otherwise).

It’s not on the official agenda, but expect a statement from Boris Johnson laying out the new Covid measures in England.

And with the Tories split over the government’s handling of the pandemic, the general debate on Covid scheduled for Monday afternoon should be interesting, given the latest developments.

Two big Brexit bills ping back to the Commons.

MPs will have to decide what to do with Lords amendments to the Agriculture and Immigration Bills.

On the former, peers want imported food to meet UK standards under any new trade deals. On the latter, issues include the right to family reunion (the Dubs amendment) and the treatment of victims of modern slavery.

Meanwhile the Upper House debates the Internal Market Bill.

Things should be fairly tame, but watch out of the possibility of some mischief-making amendments next week.

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

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER

No votes scheduled

TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Food Labelling (Environmental Sustainability) Bill
Requires food manufacturers to puts labels on products explaining their environmental sustainability. Ten minute rule motion presented by Chris Grayling.

Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England (part), Wales (part), Scotland (part), Northern Ireland (part)
Aims to protect soldiers from vexatious litigation by creating a “triple lock” for proescuting historic military offences, among other things. They are: a) “presumption against prosecution” for alleged crimes committed overseas more than five years ago, b) prosecutors required to give particular weight to certain issues, and c) Attorney General must consent before prosecution can proceed.
Draft bill / Commons Library briefing

WEDNESDAY 4 NOVEMBER

Employment (Dismissal and Re-employment) Bill
Bans employers from firing workers and rehiring them on less favourable terms. Ten minute rule motion presented by Gavin Newlands.

Agriculture Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England (part), Wales (part), Scotland (part), Northern Ireland
Sets out the UK’s post-Brexit farm policy, providing a framework for leaving the Common Agricultural Policy and establishing a new system. This includes replacing direct subsidies with payments for “public goods”, like environmental protection, public access to the countryside and measures to reduce flooding.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Ends free movement of people into the UK after Brexit. Makes EU, EEA and and Swiss nationals and their family members subject to UK immigration controls.
Draft bill / Commons Library briefing

THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER

No votes scheduled

FRIDAY 6 NOVEMBER

National Minimum Wage Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland (part), Northern Ireland (part)
Requires employers to keep detailed records to guarantee wage obligations are met. Ensures homecare workers are paid for travel time. Private members’ bill presented by Paula Barker. Read more here.
Draft bill (PDF)

Trade Agreements (Exclusion of National Health Services) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Excludes the NHS from future trade deals. Requires the Commons and devolved parliaments to approve any parts of a trade deal relating to health services in any of the four nations. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Grant.
Draft bill (PDF)

Prime Minister (Accountability to the House of Commons) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires the prime minister to be available to answer questions in the Commons at least twice a week when Parliament is sitting. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Prime Minister (Temporary Replacement) Bill – 2nd reading
Sets out a succession plan if the prime minister is temporarily unable to carry out their duties, for example because of illness. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

National Health Service Expenditure Bill – 2nd reading
Requires spending on mental health services and health services for veterans and members of the armed forces to be stated separately in NHS spending plans. Private members’ bill presented by Jamie Stone.

June Bank Holiday (Creation) Bill – 2nd reading
Creates annual public holiday on the Friday nearest to 23 June (the date of the 2016 Brexit referendum). Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Protest (Abortion Clinics) Bill – 2nd reading
Bans anti-abortion protests within 150 metres of an abortion clinic. Private members’ bill presented by Sarah Olney.

Automatic Electoral Registration Bill – 2nd reading
Uses data the government already holds to register voters automatically. Private members’ bill presented by Judith Cummins.

Immigration (Health and Social Care Staff) Bill – 2nd reading
Grants indefinite leave to remain to health and social care staff. Private members’ bill presented by Christine Jardine.

Employment (Dismissal and Re-employment) Bill – 2nd reading
Bans employers from firing workers and rehiring them on less favourable terms. Private members’ bill presented by Gavin Newlands.

Internet Access (Children Eligible for Free School Meals) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Requires the government to ensure that all children eligible for free school meals have a broadband connection and facilities to access the internet at home. Private members’ bill presented by Siobhain McDonagh.
Draft bill (PDF)

Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill – 2nd reading
Reclassifies assaults on retail offenders as aggravated offences, which makes them liable for tougher sentencing. Private members’ bill presented by Alex Norris.

Unpaid Work Experience (Prohibition) (No. 2) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Bans unpaid work experience of more than four weeks. Private members’ bill presented by Alex Cunningham.
Draft bill

Voter Registration Bill – 2nd reading
Bans people from registering to vote in parliamentary elections in more than one constituency. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

General Election (Leaders’ Debates) Bill – 2nd reading
Sets up a commission to arrange debates between party leaders during a General Election. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Hospitals (Parking Charges and Business Rates) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Bans NHS hospitals from charging patients and visitors for car parking. Makes NHS hospitals exempt from business rates. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.
Draft bill

Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill – 2nd Reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Scraps the plan to cut the number of MPs to 600, from 650 (N.B. the government has already ditched this plan). Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.
Draft bill

Public Advocate (No. 2) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Creates the role of public advocate to give advice to families of people killed in major incidents. Seeks to avoid a repeat of the lengthy process after the Hillsborough disaster. Private members’ bill presented by Maria Eagle. More information here.
Draft bill (PDF)

Pedicabs (London) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Regulates pedicabs to the same degree as taxis and private hire services. Requires drivers to have a licence from Transport for London to operate, and gives TfL the power to regulate prices and vehicles used. Private members’ bill presented by Nickie Aiken.
Draft bill (PDF)

Remote Participation in House of Commons Proceedings (Motion) Bill
Requires the Leader of the House of Commons to propose a motion that states all MPs have the same right to take part in proceedings, and establishes a way for MPs who can’t come to Westminster to participate and vote remotely. Private members’ bill presented by Dawn Butler.

Death by Dangerous Driving (Sentencing) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Increases the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving to life imprisonment (it’s currently 14 years). Private member’s bill presented by Theresa May.
Draft bill (PDF)

Mobile Homes Act 1983 (Amendment) Bill – 2nd reading
Amends the Mobile Homes Act 1983. More information not yet available. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Caravan Sites Bill – 2nd reading
Removes the requirement for planning permission when applying for a caravan site licence. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Local Authorities (Borrowing and Investment) Bill – 2nd reading
Limits the power of local authorities to invest in commercial risk-taking enterprises and limits public borrowing by local authorities for non-core activities, among other things. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Electronic Cigarettes (Regulation) Bill – 2nd reading
Regulates the use and sale of e-cigarettes. Also exempts them from any UK laws made as a result of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive, such as size limits on e-cigarette tanks and refill containers, requirements that they be child proof, and obligatory health warnings on packages. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Illegal Immigration (Offences) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland
Creates new offences for people who have entered the UK illegally, or have overstayed their visas. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Magistrates (Retirement Age) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Raises the mandatory retirement age for magistrates to 75, from 70. Private members’ bill presented by Edward Timpson.
Draft bill (PDF)

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

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill – ping pong back to Lords (came back to Commons to be considered this week)
• Equal Pay (Information and Claims) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Non-domestic Rating (Lists) (No. 2) Bill – goes to Lords
• Vehicle Registration Offences (Penalty Points) – goes to 2nd reading
• Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill – goes to committee stage

Postponed

• Mobile Homes Act 1983 (Amendment) Bill – proceedings disrupted, continues this week
• Caravan Sites Bill
• Local Authorities (Borrowing and Investment) Bill
• Electronic Cigarettes (Regulation) Bill
• Hong Kong Bill
• Illegal Immigration (Offences) Bill
• Magistrates (Retirement Age) Bill

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