Clear the Lobby: What laws are MPs voting on this week (w/c 25th January)

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.

The week kicks off in Labour’s favour, with an Opposition Day on Monday.

They’ve tabled debates on two government plans: an increase in council tax and what they call a weakening of employment rights.

Then lots of government bills this week.

The Environment Bill has a whole host of amendments put forward, including adding hedgehogs to the list of protected animals, banning the use of chemical pesticides near buildings and spaces used by people, and introducing tougher environmental requirements for new housing developments.

And in Thursday’s bills, MPs will have to decide whether to accept or overturn the changes made in the Lords.

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

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

MONDAY 25 JANUARY

No votes scheduled

TUESDAY 26 JANUARY

Football (Regulation) Bill
Establishes an independent football regulator in England, which would license football clubs, distribute funds within football, review English Football League club finances, and reform the governance of the Football Association. Ten minute rule motion presented by Helen Grant.

Environment Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England (part), Wales (part), Scotland (part), Northern Ireland (part)
Lays out the legal framework for environmental governance after Brexit. This includes establishing the Office of Environmental Protection to hold public authorities to account, putting the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan into law, and requiring the government to set long-term targets. Also introduces a range of measures, including: enabling charges for single-use plastic items, allowing deposit return schemes (where you pay a bit extra for items like bottled drinks, but recoup that amount when the bottle is returned), and standardising what items can be collected for recycling by local authorities in England.
Draft bill (PDF)

WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY

Ministerial Interests (Emergency Powers) Bill
Requires ministers to make an oral statement to Parliament if a contract is awarded under emergency statutory powers to a person or company in which they have a personal, political or financial interest. Ten minute rule motion presented by Owen Thompson.

Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Allows police or intelligence services who have infiltrated a group to undertake criminal acts to establish their credibility.
Draft bill

Medicines and Medical Devices Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Gives ministers the power to update regulations on medicines, clinical trials and medical devices. This was previously done using an EU legal mechanism that won’t be available after the transition period ends. Also consolidates the law around the use of medical devices, which is currently in lots of separate pieces of legislation, and allows the government to take civil (rather than criminal) action for any breaches.
Draft bill

THURSDAY 28 JANUARY

No votes scheduled

FRIDAY 29 JANUARY

No votes scheduled

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

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Freedom of Speech (Universities) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Trade Bill – ping pong, goes back to Lords
• High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill – ping pong, goes back to Lords
• Internet Access Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• National Security and Investment Bill – goes to Lords

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