The Government have suffered another defeat, this time on the Public Bodies Bill. Earlier today, Lord Lester of Herne Hill moved a pavement amendment for a later amendment to limit ministerial powers. In the light of the minister’s assurance that he would look again at the issue, Lord Lester sought to withdraw his amendment but…
The Liaison Committee of the House is responsible for receiving proposals for new committees – be they permanent or ad hoc – and making recommendations to the House. It has a reputation for being somewhat cautious, as it does not wish to duplicate the work of committees in the Commons or absorb unduly the resources…
On Thursday, Lord Maclennan initiated a debate on the need for active citizenship in society. I spoke and focused on citizenship education. There are reports that citizenship teaching in schools – it has been part of the national curriculum since 2002 – is under review and may possibly disappear. I made the case that there may have been…
This week’s quiz focuses on cross-bench peers. Those who sit on the cross-benches are drawn from a range of backgrounds. Some are elevated to the peerage after public service (such as former Cabinet Secretaries and Chiefs of the Defence Staff). Others join the House while still pursuing their professional activities. This week we focus on…
There was a vote in the House on Wednesday on an amendment to the Identity Documents Bill moved by Lord Hunt of King’s Heath, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers who voted (178) outnumbered Labour peers (162). However, the amendment was carried by 220 votes to 188. The Government defeat…
