Clear the Lobby: What Laws are MPs voting on this week? W/C 25th October 2021

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 Budget week.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has his big moment on Wednesday. He’ll also deliver a spending review, which happens every three years and involves dishing out funding to government departments.

The Treasury’s line today is that this Budget is about strong investment in public services. We’ve also had an announcement trailed about extra funding for T-levels (vocational qualifications for 16 to 19-year-olds).

Watch out for any coronavirus announcements.

Despite protestations from Labour, the government is standing by its view that now isn’t the time for Plan B. But as we all know, these situations change quickly and Number 10 may be forced to act.

And the Environment Bill is in the Lords this week.

Expect some pushback after MPs rejected most of the amendments added by peers. Particularly notable was the one preventing sewage from being discharged into rivers, which is earning the Tories some flack online.

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

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

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MONDAY 25 OCTOBER

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England (part), Wales (part), Scotland (part)
A wide-ranging bill that aims to improve the welfare of kept animals. Among other things, bans the export of live cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and equines for slaughter. Gives the government powers to restrict the import of certain pets to combat puppy smuggling. Bans the keeping, breeding, sale and transfer of primates without a specific primate licence.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

TUESDAY 26 OCTOBER

Electricity Grid (Review) Bill
Requires the government and Ofgem to conduct a review of the electricity network grid. Issues to consider include abolishing price differences based on geography; the current charging system is built on the assumption that electricity is generated by oil, gas, coal and nuclear plants near big cities, which means offshore wind farms pay much more to connect to the grid. Ten minute rule motion presented by Alan Brown. More information here.

Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
A bill aimed at preventing Northern Ireland from being left without a devolved government for an extended period, like in 2017-2020. Extends the time limits for appointing ministers in the Northern Ireland government after an election, and replacing the First Minister or their deputy if they leave office (e.g. a resignation). Allows ministers to stay in office for up to 24 weeks after an election if their replacements haven’t been appointed, or up to 48 weeks if the First Minister of their deputy leaves office. Also tightens the criteria for triggering a Petition of Concern (a mechanism used to pass motions with cross-party support rather than a majority).
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

Judicial Review and Courts Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Scotland (part), Wales, Northern Ireland (part)
Reforms judicial review (where judges decide whether an action taken by a public body was lawful) and other bits of the legal system. Among other things, it introduces an online-only conviction procedure for defendants pleading guilty so they don’t have to go through a court.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER

The Budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivers the Budget and Spending Review, followed by debate.

THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER

Budget debate (continued)

FRIDAY 29 OCTOBER

Menopause (Support and Services) Bill – 2nd reading
Scraps NHS prescription charges for hormone therapy, among other things. Private members’ bill presented by Carolyn Harris.

Childcare Bill – 2nd reading
Aims to increase the efficiency of free childcare schemes, and better promote free childcare entitlements, especially to disadvantaged groups. Private members’ bill presented by Matt Rodda.

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Allows people who commit animal-related offences to be issued with financial penalties. Private members’ bill presented by Andrew Rosindell.
Draft bill (PDF)

Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Requires people granted bail in criminal proceedings and offenders undergoing rehabilitation to provide urine samples for drug testing on request. Private members’ bill presented by Rob Butler.
Draft bill (PDF)

Paternity (Leave and Pay) Bill – 2nd reading
Expands the people who are eligible for paternity pay and provides more flexibility around timing and notice periods for taking paternity leave. Private members’ bill presented by Gareth Davies.

Crown Estate (Devolution to Wales) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Devolve the management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales to the Welsh government. Private members’ bill presented by Liz Saville Roberts.
Draft bill (PDF)

BBC Licence Fee (Abolition) Bill – 2nd reading
Abolishes the licence fee and makes the BBC a subscription service. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (Amendment) Bill – 2nd reading
Amends the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to change the law around parliamentary scrutiny of lockdowns. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

BBC Licence Fee Non-Payment (Decriminalisation for Over-75s) Bill – 2nd reading
Decriminalises non-payment of the licence fee by over-75s. 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.

Green Belt (Protection) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Establishes a national register of green belt land in England. Restricts the ability of local authorities to de-designate green belt land. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.
Draft bill

Climate and Ecology Bill – 2nd reading
Requires the prime minister to declare a climate emergency and commit to meeting certain targets. Requires the government to create a strategy for meeting those targets, with help from a citizens’ assembly. Private members’ bill presented by Caroline Lucas.

Homeless People (Current Accounts) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires banks to provide current accounts for homeless people seeking work. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Electoral Candidates (Age) Bill – 2nd reading
Changes the minimum age of candidates in parliamentary and local elections to age 18 on the day of the election. It’s currently age 18 at time of nomination. Private members’ bill presented by Peter Bone.

Channel 4 (Privatisation) Bill – 2nd reading
Privatises Channel 4. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

British Broadcasting Corporation (Privatisation) Bill – 2nd reading
Privatises the BBC and distributes shares in the corporation to all licence fee payers. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Public Sector Exit Payments (Limitation) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Caps exit payments made to outgoing employees of public sector organisations. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.
Draft bill

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

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Bereavement Leave and Pay (Stillborn and Miscarried Babies) Bill – goes to second reading
• Decarbonisation and Economic Strategy Bill – goes to second reading
• Environment Bill – goes back to Lords
• Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill

Postponed

• Judicial Review and Courts Bill – postponed to this week

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