Parliament Matters Bulletin: What's happening in Parliament today?

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Parliament Matters Bulletin: Our weekly analysis of what’s coming up in Parliament

Latest edition: 10-14 March 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.

Latest edition: What’s coming up in Parliament?

Big Ben, Portcullis House and the Norman Shaw Building seen from the Embankment. © Mistervlad - stock.adobe.com

10-14 March 2025

MPs will debate the Crime and Policing Bill for the first time, followed by two days of debate on the remaining stages of the Employment Rights Bill, including of some substantial Government amendments. Backbenchers will also lead debates on the future of farming, and mental health support in education. Peers will continue to scrutinise the legislation to abolish the right of the remaining hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, will consider new amendments to the Football Governance Bill and will complete their scrutiny of the controversial Product Regulation and Metrology Bill.

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Parliament Matters Bulletin: Past Editions

Parliament and Portcullis House with the River Thames showing their reflection. © Mistervlad - stock.adobe.com

3-7 March 2025

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will face MPs’ questions. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s budget will be debated as part of the Supplementary Estimates. Dame Karen Pierce and three other former ambassadors to Washington will discuss the UK–US relationship. The Director General and Chair of the BBC and the Governor of the Bank of England will appear before Select Committees. MPs will debate political finance rules, and both Houses will mark International Women’s Day. Scrutiny continues on the Finance Bill and plans to remove hereditary peers from the Lords, while a bill lifting the ban on Roman Catholics as Lord High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland will be fast-tracked. Read here

24-28 February 2025

MPs will debate Ukraine’s situation to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Foreign Office and Home Office ministers face their monthly question time. In the Lords, Peers will discuss British citizens detained in Iran. MPs will consider an e-petition calling for a ban on social media accounts for under-16s, while three tech giants testify on misinformation. The Speaker’s Conference on MP and election security holds its first public session. Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, and MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis, all appear before select committees. The controversial Product Regulation and Metrology Bill returns to the Lords for further scrutiny. Read here

10-14 February 2025

MPs will debate the Government’s new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill for the first time, as well as two bills that have faced multiple defeats in the House of Lords: the Water (Special Measures) Bill and the Data (Use and Access) Bill. MPs will begin their clause-by-clause scrutiny of the assisted dying bill in Committee. Peers will continue consideration of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill and the Great British Energy Bill. Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff, will be introduced in the House of Lords. The Welsh First Minister will appear before the Welsh Affairs Committee, and the Treasury Committee will hold a special evidence session in Darlington. Read here

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Latest / Highlights

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 10-14 March 2025

News / Net Zero and National Security: How can Parliament hold the Government to account? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 78

How will Parliament hold the Government accountable for its Net Zero commitments? With the Climate Change Committee publishing its recommendations for the Seventh Carbon Budget, we talk to Toby Perkins MP, Chair of Parliament’s Net Zero watchdog, the Environmental Audit Committee. We also explore the Government’s controversial decision to block National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell from testifying before Parliament. Finally, Simon Hart, former Chief Whip, shares revelations from his political diaries and warns that parties must better prepare MPs for the pressures of modern politics.

Blog / Breaching the 0.7% international aid target: a case study in legislative failure

The Prime Minister’s plan to cut international aid breaches the Government’s legal duty to meet the 0.7% spending target, raising constitutional concerns. Should an Act allow for premeditated non-compliance? Can a statutory duty imposed on Government by Parliament be overturned by a ministerial statement? And when a law’s purpose is abandoned, should it be amended or repealed? The fate of this Act exposes the flaws in declaratory legislation, weak parliamentary scrutiny, and executive dominance of Parliament.

News / Assisted dying bill: Special series #6 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 79

In this sixth instalment of our special mini-podcast series, we continue to track the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. This episode looks into developments in the Bill Committee this week, where scrutiny of the legislation has intensified. And we speak with Professor Colin Gavaghan about how New Zealand legislated for assisted dying.

Briefings / The assisted dying bill: How does the amendment process work?

The assisted dying bill (Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill) is now at the Committee stage, where a Public Bill Committee reviews the bill clause by clause. This briefing outlines the Committee’s role, how MPs propose changes to the bill and where these are published, how the Chair selects and groups amendments, and how these are debated and voted on.

Parliament Matters Bulletin: Our weekly analysis of what’s coming up in Parliament

Latest edition: What’s coming up in Parliament?

10-14 March 2025

Parliament Matters Bulletin: Past Editions

3-7 March 2025

24-28 February 2025

10-14 February 2025

3-7 February 2025

27-31 January 2025

20-24 January 2025

13-17 January 2025

6-10 January 2025

16-20 December 2024

9-13 December 2024

2-6 December 2024

25-29 November 2024

18-22 November 2024

11-15 November 2024

4-8 November 2024

28 October-1 November 2024

21-25 October 2024

14-18 October 2024

7-11 October 2024

9-13 September 2024

2-6 September 2024

29 July-2 August 2024

22-26 July 2024

Parliament Matters Bulletin

Parliament Matters Podcast

Latest / Highlights

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 10-14 March 2025

News / Net Zero and National Security: How can Parliament hold the Government to account? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 78

Blog / Breaching the 0.7% international aid target: a case study in legislative failure

News / Assisted dying bill: Special series #6 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 79

Briefings / The assisted dying bill: How does the amendment process work?

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