This coming week is a significant one in Westminster, with key government bills, ministers under scrutiny, and the first vote on the Assisted Dying Bill.
Monday
Monday begins with Oral Questions to the Home Office, with MPs given the chance to question Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
The government announced last week their intention to give police and local councils more powers to ban persistent offenders from town centres, as part of Labour’s broader strategy to tackle anti-social behaviour. A new “respect order” has been introduced, similar to the Anti-Social-Behaviour-Disorders pioneered by Blair in the 1990s, which carries a 2 year prison sentence if breached. Expect Cooper to face questions about these new measures, which civil liberties campaigners have warned could be misused by police officers, and criminalise homelessness.
The Commons also sees the Second Reading of the “Non-Domestic Rating Bill”. This Act removes the VAT exemption for private school fees, one of Labour’s manifesto commitments. The plans are set to take effect in January 2025, and has drawn criticism from political opponents, who fear that the tax rise will lead to a surge in admissions to state schools, with parents unable to afford the 20% increase in fees.
If the bill passes this vote, it will be then be scrutinised by committees, then go to a final vote in the Commons, before being sent to the House of Lords.
Finally, Westminster Hall hosts an debate on an e-petition that asks to allow parents to take their children out of school for two weeks a year without being fined. The petition received 250,000 public signatures, and argues that fines for families taking their children on holiday during term time are unfair on those on lower incomes.
Tuesday
Oral Questions to the Foreign Office is the first item on Tuesday morning, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the hot seat. Expect questions about the International Criminal Court’s recent arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and whether the UK government will comply with that ruling.
Following this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill undergoes its second reading in the Commons. This legislation was resurrected from Rishi Sunak’s government, as it didn’t pass through parliament before the election in July. The bill seeks to create a “smoke-free generation” by banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009, effectively phasing out smoking slowly every year. It also bans disposable vapes and restricts vape flavours, advertising methods and sponsorships in a bid to make them less appealing to young people.
There are also Westminster Hall debates on:
- Delivery of electricity grid upgrades
- Government support for local councils to tackle fly-tipping
- Online safety for young people
- Suicide and Mental Health
Over in the House of Lords, the third and final reading of the government’s Water Bill takes place. This act aims gives new powers to water regulators, like Ofwat and the Environment Agency, to block bonuses for company bosses if environmental standards are not met. It also allows fines for those companies failing to meet regulations, and imprisonment if they seek to block an investigation into pollution incidents.
As this bill started in the Lords, should it pass its final vote tomorrow it will head to the Commons at a later date.
Wednesday
Wednesday at noon sees Prime Minister’s Questions, with Keir Starmer facing new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch once again.
Then follows a Second Reading of the “Finance Bill”, which contains the measures outlined in the Autumn Budget statement delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in late October. See our article on it here. Expect the bill to pass easily given Labour’s large commons majority.
Westminster Hall sees debates on:
- UK air and missile defences
- Devolution for Lancashire
- Tackling violence against women and girls
- World AIDs Day
In the House of Lords, the Football Governance Bill is in its Committee Stage, with one more vote before it heads to the Commons. The bill aims to establish an Independent Football Regulator in England, which will monitor the revenue of clubs, the organisation of competitions, and licensing issues. It also seeks to block the potential for breakaway leagues like the European Super League. UEFA, Europe’s football governing body, has warned that the bill could represent a significant government interference in football, and violate its statutes. It has even threatened to expel English clubs from the Champions League, but the government is confident the new bill breaches no UEFA rules.
Thursday
Thursday starts with Oral Questions to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, followed by Business Questions to the Leader of the House, Lucy Powell.
The latter session is for Lucy Powell to announce upcoming parliamentary business events, and lets MPs ask the government to schedule a debate on a specific issue.
There will then be 2 backbench business debates on:
- The international status of Taiwan
- Freedom of religion in Pakistan
These debates are scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee, which gives opportunities for backbench MPs to bring forward debates of their choice.
Friday
Friday is the biggest day of the week, with the greatly anticipated first vote on the Assisted Dying Bill. This is a private members bill introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, which would allow doctors to assist terminally ill adults to end their lives. It will be a free vote, with no official government position or party whips enforcing how MPs should vote, given the moral nature of the issue.
The Commons last voted on a similar private members bill in 2015, and rejected it by 330 votes to 118. It is unclear whether the vote will pass this time, with many MPs publicly vowing to vote for or against the bill.
The act includes safeguards that aim to address some of the concerns around assisted suicide. A person must have a terminal diagnosis, be expected to live for no more than 6 months, and demonstrate the mental capacity to make the decision to end their own life. Doctors are only allowed to provide an approved substance that the person can then self-administer to end their life.
Read a full summary of the bill here.
As this is the second reading, should it pass it will undergo further scrutiny, another vote in the Commons, and have to go through the Lords as well before it becomes law.
