This may seem a curious topic for the blog: let me explain. While our proceedings in the Lords Chamber open with prayers, led by one of the Bishops, this is not what I felt needed some explanation. Instead, I am referring to the business of the House last Thursday. Under the heading “Freedom of Information…
When MPs and peers vote, they enter lobbies on either side of the chamber and their names are published as voting either ‘Aye’ or ‘No’ (MPs) or ‘Content’ or ‘Not Content’ (peers). People outside Parliament thus know how members have voted: it is also a useful resource for researchers, as it facilitates analysis of voting behaviour. However,…
People continue to reach us by typing in some interesting terms into the search engines. Some are clearly related to the House of Lords; others not obviously so. Some of the ones related to the House have included in recent days ‘how many Chinese members are there?’ (answer: at least one, Baroness Dunn from Hong…
We have had some interesting differences of opinion expressed in evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill. These have included differences between the parliamentary authorities and the Government over demonstrations in Parliament Square. When the officials of both Houses appeared before the Committee, they expressed concern over both access to the…
I did not get much joy with my question on e-petitions in the Lords. The Chairman of Committees replied that, as the last petition to be presented was in 2000, ‘I do not believe that expenditure on developing a system of e-petitioning unique to the House of Lords could be justified’. This strikes me as…
I put down the following question after growing concern about attacks on state infrastructure and now even on legislatures – although I am not sure which ones yet. I have been wondering about an international treaty or agreement to outlaw these attacks. Some states are launching such attacks – again it is difficult to prove…
The House of Commons has voted for the provision to enable terrorist suspects to be held for up to 42 days without charge. Though its majority was reduced, the Government nonetheless achieved a majority to get it through. Opinion polls show a majority of the public supporting the provision. One poll also shows that more people think…
I attended a debate this evening, organised by the Hansard Society, on referendums. There were two speakers in favour of their use – former Cabinet minister and now independent MP Clare Short and Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne. Speaking against were Conservative MP David Curry and Steve Richards from The Independent. David Butler, the doyen…
Yesterday most of the afternoon in Chamber working on the Report Stage of the Health and Social Care Bill. I had my name on three amendments in the key group about the future shape of the Care Quality Commission. As Baroness Howarth pointed out, some us started out being profoundly opposed to the principles of…
