Clear the Lobby: What laws are MPs voting on this week (w/c 15th March)

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!

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Hey team.

It’s been a weird week.

I hope you’re managing to stay strong and hold your loved ones tight.

As I write this, both the home secretary and mayor of London are ramping up pressure on the Met Police for their handling of the Clapham vigil for Sarah Everard.

What a time, then, to be debating a major new policing law for the first time.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a huge piece of legislation, but much of the media focus has been on the increased powers to clamp down on protests. Labour was originally going to abstain, but following Saturday’s events they’ll now oppose it.

(As an aside, you sometimes ask me why I include ten minute rule motions when they so rarely become law. This bill is a good example of how they influence the government’s thinking. One of the provisions adds sports coaches to the list of roles considered a “position of trust” in sexual offences cases. This was also the basis of a ten minute rule motion brought by Tracey Crouch last June.)

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

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

MONDAY 15 MARCH

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland (part), Northern Ireland (part)
A wide-ranging bill that reforms the criminal justice system. Among other things it lets the police issue noise limits for some protests, allows Crown Courts try people for criminal damage of memorials where the value of the damage is less than £5,000, and increases the maximum sentence for assaulting an emergency worker from one year to two.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

TUESDAY 16 MARCH

Goods and Services of UK Origin Bill
Requires public sector organisations to prioritise buying UK goods and services. The government must also publish data on the value of contracts awarded to British companies, including estimates of jobs created. Establishes a certification for products predominantly of UK origin. Ten minute rule motion presented by Gareth Thomas.

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – 2nd reading (continued)

WEDNESDAY 17 MARCH

Education Employment (Accompaniment to Hearings) Bill
In workplace disciplinary or grievance hearings, employees are allowed by law to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union representative. This bill would allow teachers and other educational staff to bring anyone they like. Ten minute rule motion presented by Brendan Clarke-Smith.

THURSDAY 18 MARCH

No votes scheduled

FRIDAY 19 MARCH

No votes scheduled

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

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Housing and Homelessness (Local Accommodation Duty) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Landfill Sites (Odorous Emissions) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Pig Husbandry (Farrowing) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) (No. 2) Bill – goes to Lords
• Contingencies Fund (No. 2) Bill – goes to Lords
• Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill – goes to Lords
• British Library Board (Power to Borrow) Bill – goes to Lords
• Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill – goes to Lords
• Forensice Science Regulator Bill – goes to Lords
• Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill – goes to Lords
• Prisons (Substance Testing) Bill – goes to Lords
• Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill – goes to Lords

Postponed

• Registers of Births and Deaths Bill – private members’ bills session ran out of time

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

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