Latest edition: 7-8 April 2025
Westminster is always buzzing with political drama and rumours, but whatever the daily gossip or latest crisis, law-making and parliamentary scrutiny carries on regardless. That’s why it’s crucial to stay informed about what’s happening in Parliament each week. The Parliament Matters Bulletin is our weekly analysis of what’s coming up in the House of Commons and House of Lords, as a complement to our weekly Parliament Matters Podcast.
It’s a short week in Westminster, with the Commons sitting for just two days and the Lords already on Easter recess. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will face the Liaison Committee, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves answers questions in the Chamber – both will face MPs’ questions for the first time since Donald Trump’s tariff announcement. Deputy PM Angela Rayner will be questioned on the work of her department, and Wes Streeting will be grilled by the Health Select Committee on plans to abolish NHS England. Select Committees will also examine the Seventh Carbon Budget and the state of local government finances.
The Treasury Committee will question Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility about the Spring Statement. MPs will debate the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, including questions about future alignment or divergence from EU law. Heathrow and National Grid executives will be grilled about the recent power failure that brought the airport to a standstill. There will be several rounds of legislative ping-pong between the two Houses as they seek to reconcile their differences on amendments to the National Insurance and Non-Domestic Rating Bills. Peers will consider amendments to the Mental Health and Bus Services Bills. Read here
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver the Spring Statement on the public finances. MPs will debate the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill for the first time. The Committee scrutinising the assisted dying bill is expected to conclude its work. Ping-pong will continue between the two Houses on the National Insurance Contributions, Non-Domestic Rating, Great British Energy, and Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bills. The House of Lords will continue considering amendments to the Bill abolishing hereditary peers. Both Houses will hold debates, and the Home Affairs Committee will take evidence, marking the tenth anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act. Read here
MPs will debate an e-petition urging a compensation scheme for WASPI women, while Work and Pensions ministers face questions from MPs. The Commons scrutinises the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools, and National Insurance bills, while the Lords reviews the Football Governance, Non-Domestic Rating, Armed Forces Commissioner, and Holocaust Memorial bills. Consumer finance journalist Martin Lewis, tax policy expert Dan Neidle, and Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg appear before select committees. Minister for Security Dan Jarvis will be questioned on defending democracy. Backbenchers lead debates on knife crime among young people and coastal communities. Read here
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Presented by Mark D’Arcy, former BBC parliamentary correspondent, and our Director, Ruth Fox, you can listen to our weekly podcast by subscribing via your favourite app.
In our latest ‘Whipping Yarn’, we talk with Simon Hart, former Conservative Chief Whip during Rishi Sunak’s Premiership. Hart opens up about his time in one of Westminster’s most demanding and discreet roles, chronicled in his new book, ‘Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip’.
If a crisis or major national event occurs during a period when Parliament is adjourned, there are often demands from MPs, the media and the public for Parliament to be ‘recalled’. But the House of Commons Standing Orders stipulate that only Government Ministers - in reality, the Prime Minister - can ask the Speaker to recall the House. In recent years the House of Lords has generally been recalled at the same time as the House of Commons.
In response to the Modernisation Committee's call for views on 17 October 2024, we submitted evidence outlining key areas we believe the Committee should prioritise. Our submission recommended a focus on: strengthening legislative scrutiny, with particular emphasis on reforming the delegated legislation system; enhancing financial scrutiny, especially in relation to the Budget and the Estimates; addressing strategic gaps in parliamentary scrutiny; making more effective use of parliamentary time; and reviewing the Standing Orders, language and rituals of the House of Commons.
This briefing explains what to watch for during the Second Reading debate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29 November. It outlines the procedural and legislative issues that will come into play: the role of the Chair in managing the debate and how procedures such as the 'closure' and 'reasoned amendments' work. It looks ahead to the Committee and Report stage procedures that will apply if the Bill progresses beyond Second Reading. It also examines the government's responsibilities, such as providing a money resolution for the Bill and preparing an Impact Assessment, while addressing broader concerns about the adequacy of Private Members’ Bill procedures for scrutinising controversial issues.
In this ninth instalment of our special mini-podcast series, we continue to explore the latest developments in the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, often referred to as the assisted dying bill. We are joined by Dr Marie Tidball MP to discuss the amendments she has secured for a Disability Advisory Board and an independent advocate for people with learning disabilities.
