Clear the Lobby: What Laws are MPs voting on this week? W/C 28th February 2022

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,

The unfolding situation in Ukraine makes this week’s agenda a moveable feast.

At a time like this, you’d expect urgent statements (ministers addressing the House at short notice). But given how things are going we may see time allotted to debate sanctions on Russia.

That’s not to say there isn’t important domestic business to deal with.

On Monday the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill comes back from the Lords, where it got a bit of a savaging. The government suffered 20 defeats on issues including the policing of protests.

And more could come this week.

The Lords will consider the Nationality and Borders Bill and the Health and Care Bill. Remember, the end of this parliamentary session is only a couple of months away, so if peers go big on making changes, they could force the government to compromise.

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

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

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MONDAY 28 FEBRUARY

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
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 1 FEBRUARY

Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling) Bill
Regulates and limits bottom trawling (dragging heavy weighted nets across the sea floor to catch fish) in marine protected areas. Ten minute motion presented by Chris Grayling.

Professional Qualifications Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Sets out a new system for how professional qualifications gained abroad are recognised in the UK. Allows regulators in the UK and overseas to mutually recognise qualifications, replacing the current method which comes from EU law and gives preferential treatment to European qualifications. Started in the Lords.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

National Insurance Contributions Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Introduces tax relief for employers taking on employees in a freeport, or hiring veterans who have left the armed forces within the last year. Also exempts the self-employed from paying National Insurance on £500 self-isolation support payments, bringing them in line with employees (applies retroactively to the 2020/21 tax year).
Draft bill / Commons Library briefing

WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY

Firearms and Hate Crime Bill
Bans people from keeping pump action guns in their homes, with exemptions for professional pest controllers and farmers. Changes the law around checking medical records and disclosing mental health concerns for firearms certificates. Makes misogyny a hate crime. Ten minute rule motion presented by Luke Pollard. Responds to the shooting in his constituency last year.

THURSDAY 3 FEBRUARY

No votes scheduled

FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY

No votes scheduled

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

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Skills and Post-16 Education Bill – goes to Lords
• Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Status) Bill – goes to second reading
• Charities Bill – became law
• Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill – goes to Lords
• Energy Pricing (Off Gas Grid Households) Bill – goes to second reading
• Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill – goes to Lords
• Pension Schemes (Conversion of Guaranteed Minimum Pensions) Bill – goes to Lords

Postponed

• All other private members’ bills

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