The Second Reading debate on the Equality Bill took place in the House yesterday. It is a large and complex Bill, with some contentious provisions. As a result, it was a long debate with more than forty speakers. The debate lasted until almost 11.00 p.m. There were many serious points raised. However, there was the…
It is usual, but not automatic, for former Cabinet ministers to be elevated to the Lords. Many who sit in the House are active contributors to the work of the House. Some have been drawn on to sit on the front benches, some chair select committees and many are regular contributors to debate. This week’s…
At Wednesday’s meeting of the Constitution Committee, we devoted most of our time to discussing a draft of our report on the Cabinet Office. However, we also approved a short report on the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill. This is a Private Member’s Bill which has Government support. The subject matter…
It has been a rather hectic week. I may join other bloggers in commenting on the issue of expenses, but it has not been at the forefront of my mind. This week, I have been dashing from meeting to meeting. I will be doing one or two posts about some of the meetings, not least the one…
The Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman, was at the University of Hull yesterday (Friday) addressing a politics sixth-form conference. One of the points she made about the House of Lords was the diversity of its membership. This encompassed the experience and expertise of peers. The House includes people drawn from different sectors, such as literature, the arts and…
