Glue Traps Bill

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make certain uses of glue traps an offence, and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows —

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Section 1: Definitions

For the purpose of this Act, the following definitions apply

(1) “glue trap” means a trap which—

(a) is designed, or is capable of being used, to catch a rodent, and

(b) uses an adhesive substance as the means, or one of the means, of capture

(2) “public authority” means any person certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature.

(3) “pest controller” means a person—

(a) who, in the course of a business, provides a service which consists of, or involves, pest control, or

(b) is employed by a public authority to carry out pest control.

(4) An “authorised inspector” is a person authorised in writing by the Secretary of State.

(5) In Section 6(2), “dwelling” includes any yard, garden, garage or outhouse which is used for purposes in connection with a dwelling.

(6) In Section 8 —

(a) “director”, in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of the body corporate;

(b) “senior officer”, in relation to a body corporate, means a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate.

Chapter 2: Glue Traps and Licenses

Section 2: Offences relating to glue traps in England

(1) A person who sets a glue trap in England for the purpose of catching a rodent commits an offence.

(2) A person who sets a glue trap in England in a manner which gives rise to a risk that a rodent will become caught in the glue trap commits an offence.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply if the glue trap is set under, and in accordance with the terms of, a glue trap licence (see section 3).

(4) A person who knowingly causes or permits an offence to be committed under subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence.

(5) A person commits an offence if the person—

[~~(a) finds a glue trap in England that has been set in a manner which gives rise to a risk that a rodent will become caught in the glue trap, and

(b) without reasonable excuse, fails to ensure that the glue trap no longer gives rise to such a risk.~~](https://www.reddit.com/r/MHOLVote/comments/1bul8wo/b1651_glue_traps_bill_amendment_division/)

(6) If the person reasonably believes that the glue trap was set under, and in accordance with the terms of, a glue trap licence, the person has a reasonable excuse for the purposes of subsection (5)(b).

(5) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1), (2) or (4) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks or a fine (or both).

(8) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (5) is liable on summary conviction to a fine.

(9) In relation to an offence committed before section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (7) to 51 weeks is to be read as a reference to six months.

(6) The court by which a person is convicted of an offence under this section—

(a) must order the person to forfeit any glue trap in the person’s possession or control which has been used in the course of, or in connection with, that offence, and

(b) may order the person to forfeit any other glue trap in the person’s possession or control.

Section 3: Glue trap licences

(1) The Secretary of State may grant a licence under this section (a “glue trap licence”) authorising a pest controller specified or described in the licence to engage in conduct, for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety, which would otherwise amount to an offence under section 2(1) or (2).

(2) The Secretary of State may not grant a glue trap licence for a purpose mentioned in subsection (1), unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that, as regards that purpose, there is no other satisfactory solution.

(2) A glue trap licence—

(a) may be, to any degree, general or specific,

(b) may be granted to all pest controllers, a class of pest controllers or a particular pest controller (whether or not on an application from the controller or controllers concerned),
(c) may be subject to any conditions specified in the licence,
(d) may be modified or revoked at any time by the Secretary of State (whether or not on an application from the controller or controllers authorised by the licence), and
(e) subject to paragraph (d), is to be valid for the period specified in the licence.

(3) The Secretary of State may require an application for the grant or modification of a glue trap licence, or of a glue trap licence of a particular description, to be made in such form, and to be accompanied by such documentation or information, as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations—

(a) make provision for, or in connection with, the charging of fees or other charges in relation to an application for the grant or modification of a glue trap licence (and such fees or other charges may be set by reference to any costs incurred, or expected to be incurred, by the Secretary of State or a public authority in connection with this section or section 5, including costs unconnected with the application);

(a) make provision for, or in connection with, appeals in respect of—
(i) a decision to refuse an application for the grant or modification of a glue trap licence;
(ii) a decision to modify or revoke a glue trap licence.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4)(b) may, in particular, include provision about—

(a) the grounds upon which an appeal may be made;

(b) when an appeal may be made;
(c) the court, tribunal or other person who is to determine the appeal;
(d) the procedure for making, or determining, an appeal.

(6) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for, or in connection with, the delegation of a function of the Secretary of State under this section (including a function involving the exercise of a discretion) to any public authority which the Secretary of State considers to be competent to exercise the function concerned.

(7) Regulations under subsection (6) may not delegate a power to make regulations.

(8) Regulations under this section—

(a) are to be made by statutory instrument;

(b) may make consequential, supplementary, incidental, transitory, transitional or saving provision.

(9) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section shall be subject to affirmative procedure.

Section 4: Offences in connection with licences

(1) A person commits an offence if, in connection with an application for the grant or modification of a glue trap licence, the person—

(a) makes a statement or representation, or provides a document or information, which the person knows to be false in a material particular, or

(b) recklessly makes a statement or representation, or provides a document or information, which is false in a material particular.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 4 weeks or a fine (or both).

(3) In relation to an offence committed before section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (2) to 4 weeks is to be read as a reference to one month.

Chapter 3: Enforcement

Section 5: Enforcement Powers of Constables

(1) If a competent authority is satisfied by information on oath that —

(a) there are reasonable grounds for believing that an offence under Section 2 is being or has been committed, and

(b) evidence of the offence, or any glue trap which may be liable to be forfeited under Section 2(6), may be found on any premises, the competent authority may grant a warrant to any constable to enter and search those premises, if necessary using reasonable force, for the purpose of exercising a power conferred by subsection (2).

(2) After a constable has entered premises under subsection (1), the constable may seize and detain for the purposes of proceedings under this Act—

(a) anything the constable reasonably believes to be evidence of the offence, or

(b) any glue trap which may be liable to be forfeited under Section 2(6).

(3) A constable may, for the purpose of assisting the constable in exercising a power conferred by subsection (2), when entering premises under subsection (1), take with them—

(a) any other person, and

(b) any equipment or materials.

Section 6: Enforcement Powers of Authorised Inspectors

(1) An authorisation under Section 1(4) is subject to any conditions or limitations specified in it.

(2) An authorised inspector may, at any reasonable time, enter and inspect premises (other than a dwelling) occupied by any pest controller who is authorised by a glue trap licence, for the purposes of—

(a) verifying any statement or representation made, or document or information provided, by the pest controller in connection with an application for the grant or modification of a glue trap licence, or

(b) ascertaining whether any condition to which a glue trap licence is subject has been complied with.

(3) An authorised inspector must produce evidence of the inspector’s authorisation under Section 1(4) before entering any premises under subsection (2), if requested to do so by a person entitled to be on the premises.

(4) After an inspector has entered any premises under subsection (2), the inspector may for a purpose mentioned in subsection (2)(a) or (b)—

(a) inspect any document, record or other thing found on the premises;

(b) take a sample from anything found on the premises;
(c) question any person on the premises;
(d) require any person on the premises to give the inspector such assistance as is reasonable in the circumstances;
(e) take a photograph or video recording of anything that is found on the premises;
(f) take copies of any document or record on the premises (in whatever form it is held);
(g) require information stored in an electronic form and accessible from the premises to be produced in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible or from which it can readily be produced in a visible and legible form;
(h) seize and detain anything which the inspector reasonably believes to be evidence of the commission of an offence under section 4 or non-compliance with any condition to which a glue trap licence is subject.

(5) Subsection (4)(h) does not include power to seize an item which the person exercising the power has reasonable grounds for believing to be subject to legal privilege (within the meaning of section 10 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984).

(6) The inspector must, on request, provide a record of anything that is seized under subsection (4)(h) to any person who—

(a) is an occupier of the premises, or

(b) has possession or control of the thing seized immediately before its seizure.

(7) Anything which has been seized in the exercise of a power under subsection (4)(h) may be retained so long as is necessary in all the circumstances, including in particular—

(a) for use as evidence in proceedings under this Act, or

(b) for forensic examination or for investigation in connection with an offence under this Act.

(8) But nothing may be retained for either of the purposes mentioned in subsection (7) if a photograph, video recording or a copy would be sufficient for that purpose.

(9) The authorised inspector may, for the purpose of assisting the inspector in exercising any of the powers conferred by subsection (4), when entering premises under subsection (2) take with them—

(a) any other person, and

(b) any equipment or materials.

(10) A person taken onto premises under subsection (9) may exercise any power conferred by subsection (4) if the person is in the company, and under the supervision, of the inspector.

Section 7: Offences in connection with authorised inspectors

(1) A person who intentionally obstructs an authorised inspector acting in the exercise of powers conferred by section 6 commits an offence.

(2) A person who fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement for assistance reasonably made under section 6(4)(d) commits an offence.

(3) A person who, with intent to deceive, falsely pretends to be an authorised inspector commits an offence.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) is liable on summary conviction to a fine.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (3) is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or a fine (or both);

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine (or both).

Section 8: Offences by bodies corporate

(1) This section applies if an offence under this Act is committed by a body corporate.

(2) If the offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of—

(a) a senior officer of the body corporate, or

(b) a person purporting to act in such a capacity, the senior officer or person (as well as the body corporate) is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

Chapter 4: Final Provisions

Section 9: Extent, Commencement, and Short Title

(1) This Act extends to England.

(2) This Act comes into force 3 months after Royal Assent.

(3) This Act may be cited as the ‘Glue Traps Act’.

This Bill was submitted by The Right Honourable Lord Inverness spokesperson for Home Affairs and Justice on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, with contributions from the Honourable Lady u/Waffel-lol LT CMG MP for Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire, and Spokesperson for Business, Trade & Innovation, and Energy & Net-Zero.

Referenced and Inspired Legislation

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

Criminal Justice Act 2003

Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022

Opening Speech:

Deputy Speaker,

As various animal rights groups state, glue traps are one of the most cruel ways of killing an animal, often leading to innocent and unsuspecting animals caught and killed by them. A glue trap is a small board made of cardboard, fibreboard, or plastic that’s coated with a sticky adhesive. It can ensnare any small animal who wanders across or lands on its surface. Animals trapped in the glue panic and struggle, which causes them to become even more helplessly stuck. Often, the glue tears off their fur, feathers, or skin. Some break bones or even chew off their own limbs in a desperate attempt to escape. It is because of this indiscriminate nature of the traps which is why stringent regulation is necessary to bring caution and protect our wildlife and even pets from these traps.

The issue with glue traps goes even further, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warns against glue traps due to their ability of increasing public exposure to disease due to animals trapped still producing harmful waste that includes pathogens and bacteria. Not to even mention the effects such glue can have on habitats and the natural environment when used in concentration.

Following the lead of nations such as Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Iceland, Ireland and New Zealand, we are proud to bring forward a Bill that criminalises the indiscriminate use of glue traps, making them an offence whilst introducing greater regulations against the practice. We of course recognise their necessity in limited situations hence the need for licenses at the discretion of the Secretary of State but for the most part, these traps should not be without stringent limits.

Committed to protecting our environment and wildlife, the Liberal Democrats urge members to support this common sensed policy and prevent further damage to our wildlife and environment.

This reading shall end on Friday 12th of April at 10PM

Ministerial Statement - Pharmacy First

Thank you, Deputy Speaker.

Pharmacies are integral to every community across the UK, providing essential advice and over-the-counter remedies to millions of patients annually. They serve as vital points of contact, particularly for minor ailments, alleviating the strain on GP services.

Today, I am proud to announce the launch of NHS England's Pharmacy First initiative, empowering local pharmacies to offer additional over-the-counter solutions, reducing the need for GP input. Of course patient safety is rightly the top priority with a campaign such as this, and only uncomplicated presentations of ailments meeting strict criteria will be treated under Pharmacy First. Complex cases will be appropriately referred to GP or hospital services by the pharmacy when required.

To facilitate this transition, pharmacies across England will receive a total of £430 million in funding over two years. This funding will support the creation and distribution of physical and digital informational materials, integration of clinical practices with existing medical systems, and additional training for pharmacists.

Specific guidance regarding eligible treatments will be published by NHS England. Treatments will include, but are not limited to:

• Acne
• Allergies
• Athlete’s foot
• Backache
• Blocked or runny nose
• Cold sores
• Constipation
• Cough
• Cystitis (in women)
• Diarrhoea
• Earache
• Eczema
• Headache
• Head lice
• Haemorrhoids (piles)
• Hay fever
• Impetigo
• Indigestion
• Mouth ulcers
• Pain
• Period pain
• Shingles
• Sinusitis
• Some skin conditions such as cellulitis or insect bites
• Sore throat
• Streptococcus A
• Threadworms
• Thrush
• Tonsillitis
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Verrucas
• Warts

By relieving the burden on GP services, particularly for common ailments like Tonsilitis, Pharmacy First will enable GP surgeries to prioritise acute cases, improving the overall patient journey. Ailments such as simple UTI’s, where the patient often knows the signs and symptoms well and may have had something similar before, can now receive the appropriate treatment in a timely manner. NHS England will provide detailed guidance on transitioning to Pharmacy First, including activity thresholds to access ongoing government funds after they have transitioned. Our aim is to have all pharmacies fully participating in Pharmacy First by April 2025, with a short-term goal of 50% by September 2024.

Deputy Speaker, I urge all members to support this initiative as we continue to support our dedicated and simply brilliant NHS workers to enhance patient care across the nation, and I commend this statement to the House

This statement is delivered by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care u/Weebru_m KT CT LVO MP PC

Debate on this statement shall end on Friday 12th of April at 10PM

Smoking Elimination Bill

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Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.

(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target,

(b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan,
(c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and
(d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week

(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco,

(b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus,
(c) heated tobacco products, or
(d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or

(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.

(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.

(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,

(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,
(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products

(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy,

(b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy,
(c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age,

(b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age,
(c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods,
(d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises,
(e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products

(b) replace Section 1 subsection c with:
“c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or-

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.

(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.

(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or

(b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or
(c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2024.

This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government

Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.

This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.

Opening Speech:

Deputy Speaker,

The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.

Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.

Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.

To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.

The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.

This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.

Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.

The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into forhttps://www.reddit.com/r/MHOC/comments/1bskb2u/b1665_smoking_elimination_bill_2nd_reading/ce no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).

This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.

The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.

The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.

And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.

Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.

​

This Reading will end on the 11th at 10PM.

Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) (Amendment) Bill

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remove scientific study exemptions for harmful fishing practices and repeal the Bottom Trawling Act 2022.

BE IT ENACTED by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Section 1: Repeals

(1) The Bottom Trawling Act 2022 is repealed.

(2) Section 3 of the Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) Act 2019 is hereby repealed.

Section 2: Existing Exemptions

(1) All Existing Exemptions granted under Section 3 of the Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) Act 2019 are hereby void.

Section 2: Exemptions

(1) A person is exempt from Section 1(2) of the Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) Act 2019 if the purpose is for archival reasons or for usage in museums.

Section 3: Commencement

(2) This Act comes into force at the end of the period of 3 months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.

Section 4: Short Title

(1) This Act may be cited as the Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) (Amendment) Act 2024.

This Bill was introduced by The Rt Hon Marquess of Stevenage, Sir u/Muffin5136, KT KP KD GCVO KCT KCMG KBE MP MS MLA PC on behalf of the Green Party

Opening Speech:

Speaker,

In 2022, the Conservatives brought into place an ill-thought out Bill to attempt to introduce legislation that covered an already regulated and legislated upon topic. Unfortunately, this House passed that bill into law, a bill I proudly voted against at the time. It is time to repeal that legislation that wastes space in our books, and introduced a duty which the Government duly ignored.

The bill was pointless given we already had legislation on the books from 2019 which outlawed the practices of bottom-trawling, Gill netting and long lining, however it included an exemption that I would argue is wholly pointless, in that it allows for these destructive methods if for scientific research.

This Bill sets up a blanket ban for these practices by outlawing the exemption, and I would urge the House to back this bill.

​

This reading will end on the 11th at 10PM.

Order, order!

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, u/weebru_m will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, u/StraightsOfMagellan may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Health and Social Care Spokespeople of Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, u/m_horses and u/BasedChurchill may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on the 12th of April at 10pm BST, no initial questions to be asked after 11th of April at 10pm BST.

##Grassroots Sport Motion

This House Recognises:

1. That the continued success of British athletes in the Olympics and world-level competition depends on the continued recruitment of new athletes into development pathways.
2. Without Government funding many sports will simply be unable to maintain momentum and growth.
3. Sporting Federations remain largely undemocratically governed leading to elitism.
4. That women and non-binary people remain underrepresented in the vast majority of Sports in the UK.

The Will of this House is therefore:

1. That the Government ensures that appropriate and sufficient funding is continually awarded to sports federations.
2. That the Government continues to encourage more young people to take up a sport.
3. That the Government works to reduce the impact of cost as a barrier to entry.
4. That the Government should take action to encourage more people from underrepresented groups to take up a sport.

This Motion was written by the Right Honourable Dame Countess Kilcreggan CT KG MVO PC and is submitted as a Bill on Behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Opening Speech

Deputy Speaker,

For most of my life, sport has played a huge role. For countless young people, Sport has been their opportunity to keep fit, to socialise, and to develop a skill. Football, rugby, cycling, and others remain popular sports, but overall participation in especially team sports has declined since 2015. Furthermore the Cost of Living Crisis has resulted in many people in lower socio-economic groups being priced out of sporting activities, for example due to mounting cost of participation or the need to work more hours to cope with rising living costs. This threatens Britain’s place as premier sporting nation, and the effect of losing sport as an outlet for socialisation and fitness could, for many people, have far-reaching impacts on their physical and mental health. Participation in sport has far reaching benefits for physical and mental health and it remains in the interest of the Nation to continue to fully and properly fund the many sporting federations in the UK.

The Government should urgently take action to ensure that participation can recover and to ensure that young people continue to regard sport as an effective use of their leisure time.

Thank you.

This debate closes 10th April 2024 at 10PM BST

Cornwall (Repeal) Act Humble Address Motion

Rt Hon lily-irl: to move—

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, That he will be graciously pleased to give directions that His Majesty’s Ministers lay before this House Regulations to bring into force the Cornwall (Repeal) Act 2024; and that said Regulations bring that Act into force on a day no later than 1 May 2024.

This motion is moved in the name of the Rt Hon /u/lily-irl MP on behalf of the Labour Party.

• The Cornwall (Repeal) Act 2024 (c. 10).

Opening Speech:

Mr Speaker—

This House voted to repeal the Cornwall Act last term. At that point, the Minister for the Cabinet Office (model-avtron) claimed that it was imperative that the Government be allowed to set a date for the repeal to come into force. That otherwise, the necessary preparations could not be made in time. As I am sure the right honourable member would not mislead the House, I can only assume that the Government has been getting those preparations—though for the life of me, I cannot imagine what they might be—underway.

However, the time has come to stop dragging our feet on this issue. It’s important that we bring this repeal into force soon, before we run into the issue where the statutory deadline for holding a referendum and elections to the Assembly has passed. To clear up this ambiguity, I suggest the Government make these Regulations immediately. To fail to do so would be a complete abdication of their responsibility to ensure that the rule of law in this country is upheld, and I trust honourable members do not wish to see that come to pass.

I commend this motion to the House.

This debate closes at 10PM BST on Tuesday 9 April 2024.

Wages Bill

A

Bill

To

Update UK-wide minimum wage legislation and amend living wage entitlement

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Section 1: Amendments to the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (The 1998 Act)

(1) Append to Section 2 of the 1998 Act:

(9) The Secretary of State must, on an annual basis, make provision by regulation to ensure that the National Minimum Wage increases by the level of average earnings, by the average rate of inflation for the previous year, or by 2.5%, whatever number is higher.

(2) Section 45 of The 1998 Act is repealed in its entirety.

(3) Section 45A is repealed in its entirety.

(4) In Section (3) wherever 26 occurs, substitute 21. (5) In Section 4(2), wherever 26 occurs, substitute 21.

Section 2: The National Living Wage

~~(1) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, set rates for a National Living Wage. ~~

(2) The National Living Wage replaces the National Minimum Wage for all persons over the age of 23.

(3) The National Living Wage must be adjusted on an annual basis as per provisions in Section 1(1).

(4) The Automatic Increase in the National Living Wage must be set according to the Consumer Price Index rate as calculated by the Office of National Statistics.

Section 1: Increase to the National Minimum Wage

(1) The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 1(3), insert—

(3A) The Secretary of State must ensure that the national minimum wage is increased every year by no less than—

(a) the percentage increase in inflation since the national minimum wage was last increased,

(b) the percentage increase in average wages in England, Scotland and Wales since the national minimum wage was last increased, or

(c) 2.5%,

whichever is highest.

(3B) In this section, "inflation" means—

(a) the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs published by the Statistics Board, or

(b) where that index is not published for a month, any substituted index or figures published by the Board.

(3) Section 45 is repealed.

(4) Section 45A is repealed.

Section 3: The National Living Wage for London

(1) The Secretary of State must, on an annual basis, make provision by regulation for a National Living Wage for persons resident or working at an address within Greater London.

(2) The Secretary of State must define this wage on the advice of the Office of the Mayor of London.

Section 2: National minimum wage in London

After section 2(6) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, insert—

(6A) Subject to subsection (6B), the regulations may provide for the national minimum wage to be higher for persons who are resident in or work in Greater London, and the national minimum wage in London is hereafter referred to as the "minimum wage in London".

(6B) Regulations which would provide for the minimum wage in London to be higher than the national minimum wage may not be made unless the Mayor of London has been consulted.

(6C) The Secretary of State must ensure that the minimum wage in London is increased every year by no less than—

(a) the percentage increase in inflation since the national minimum wage was last increased,

(b) the percentage increase in average wages in England, Scotland and Wales since the national minimum wage was last increased, or

(c) 2.5%,

whichever is highest.

(6D) In this section, "inflation" means—

(a) the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs published by the Statistics Board, or

(b) where that index is not published for a month, any substituted index or figures published by the Board.

Section 3: Repeals and amendments

(1) National Minimum Wage (Increase) Act 2019 is repealed in its entirety.

(1) National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2021 is repealed in its entirety.

(2) In section 2(8) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, for “(c) employment under an apprenticeship”, substitute—

(ba) employment under an apprenticeship;

Section 4: Short title, commencement and extent.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Wages Act 2024.

(2) This Act comes into force on the First of January 2025.

(3) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom.

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame Countess Kilcreggan CT KG MVO PC and is submitted as a Bill on Behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Links to Amended/Cited Legislation:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39/contents

https://www.reddit.com/r/MHOLVote/comments/bogykx/b775_national_minimum_wage_increase_bill_3rd/

https://www.reddit.com/r/MHOLVote/comments/plfg0d/b1244_national_minimum_wage_amendment_bill_final/

Opening Speech

Mr Speaker,

I am glad to be standing in this Place, having written my first piece of legislation in several months. This bill is written to simplify, consolidate and make sensible the manner in which minimum wage legislation works in the UK. To explain how things work currently, as I understand them, any working adult is entitled to the same minimum wage regardless of age, or the terms of their employment. If a person is employed under an apprenticeship scheme, they are entitled to the same rate of pay as a full time trained employee. The problem with this is it creates no incentive for the business to take on an apprentice when they could take on someone who’s been trained elsewhere. It needs to be a genuinely good idea from a business perspective for a company to take on an apprentice who may not be able to produce fruitful work for some months or even years following hiring. This same argument can be applied to young people. If all adults are entitled to the same wage then it becomes significantly more difficult for a company to hire a young person. Arguments that this will leave young people functionally worse off don’t carry water because of the robust welfare system successive governments have created. As of 2022, 58 percent of males and 68 percent of females that were aged 20 still lived with their parents in the United Kingdom. By creating this incentive to get more young people into the workforce, we will be encouraging more businesses to actively seek to hire young people, and it will not result in mass layoffs as I am sure the members opposite will like to posture. We will boost employment by this measure and as I have stated, the basic income system previously established will ensure that no matter what, young people will be able to keep their heads above water.

The other notable changes this legislation makes is to remove the provision that exempts prisoners from being paid the minimum wage. A prisoner’s work is not worth less than someone on the outside, Mr Speaker, and it is right that they are compensated in the same way as any person of the same age. This legislation also makes provision for a separate minimum wage for London which is prudent given the significantly higher cost of living in the Capital.

I hope the House sees fit to support this legislation.

Thank you.

This debate closes at 10PM BST on Tuesday 9 April 2024.

Equality (Transgender Rights) Bill

A Bill To

Clarify existing equality legislation in respect to the rights of transgender and non-binary people, to enshrine new rights for transgender and non-binary people, to institute a duty for inclusion, and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Section 1: Definitions

(1) A “transgender woman” is any person who was assigned male or intersex at birth and now holds the gender identity of woman.

(2) A “transgender man” is any person who was assigned female or intersex at birth and now holds the gender identity of man.

(3) A “non-binary person” is any person who was assigned male, female or intersex at birth and now holds a gender identity that is neither male nor female.

(4) “Gender Identity” is defined as per Section 7 of the Equality Act 2010, as amended by the Equality Act (Amendment) Act 2021.

(5) Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) is defined as hormonal therapy intended to align a transgender person’s hormone chemistry with that of their identified sex.

Section 2: Sport

(1) Section 195(2) of the Equality Act 2010 is repealed and subsequent sections renumbered accordingly.

(2) Section 195(3) of the Equality Act 2010 is amended to read:

(3) A gender-affected activity is a sport, game or other activity of a competitive nature in circumstances in which the physical strength, stamina or physique of average persons of one sex would put them at a disadvantage compared to average persons of the other sex as competitors in events involving the activity.

(a) A transgender woman is to be considered female, for the purposes of a gender affected activity, after 12 months of GAHT.

(b) A transgender man is to be considered male, for the purposes of a gender affected activity, at a time of their own choosing.

(c) Subsections (a) and/or (b) have no bearing or relevance to a transgender persons legal, affirmed, or identified gender.

(d) Following the satisfaction of subsections (a) and (b) conditions, a transgender person may not be excluded from participation or competition in a gender affected activity.

(3) All Sports Governing Bodies must make all reasonable efforts to ensure that transgender persons can participate in their sport in their affirmed gender, including but not limited to:

(a) Producing policy governing the inclusion of transgender participants.

(b) Reviewing said policy at least every two years.

(c) Ensuring that all policy is written with inclusion as the primary goal.

(4) Persons identifying with a gender that is neither male nor female (non-binary) should participate (compete) in the category within their gender affected activity that most closely aligns with their primary sex hormone, regardless of their birth status.

Section 3: Duty of Inclusion

(1) All organisations within the public sector and with charitable status must make an honest and reasonable effort to enable the inclusion of transgender and non-binary people within their activities.

(2) Where there is a need for changing and/or washing facilities within a public or commercial building, provision for non-gendered facilities is compulsory.

Section 4: Connected Purposes

(1) Nothing in this bill redefines, changes, or affects provisions as enacted by the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (as amended by subsequent legislation).

Section 5: Short Title, Commencement and Extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Equality (Transgender Rights) Act 2024.

(2) This Act, with exception of Section 3, comes into force immediately upon Royal Assent. Section 3 enters into force 12 months following Royal Assent.

(3) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom.

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame Countess Kilcreggan CT KG MVO PC and is submitted as a Bill on Behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Opening Speech

Speaker,

I rise to introduce this landmark piece of legislation, which I believe has been a long time coming, to clarify and update the Equality Act as it pertains to the rights of transgender and non-binary people in the UK. In the last 9 and a half years, this Parliament has passed a wide variety of acts that enhance and modernise the law as it pertains to people who are not cisgender and heterosexual. This bill is the logical next step in this process.

This bill has a core intention, to make it unlawful to exclude transgender people from competing in sport alongside their identified gender. Alongside that, this bill will introduce a statutory responsibility for charities (sport federations) to make all reasonable effort to include transgender and non-binary people in their competitions and events. The reason for making this legislative change is that there is simply no longer any reason to exclude, whereas in 2010 there remained some reasonable doubt as to the effect of GAHT on athletic performance in transgender people as we go through GAHT. As members of this House will know, I am transgender myself and I am nearly a full year into GAHT. I am a keen runner in my spare time, and my athletic performance has steadily dropped off in the last 11 months and I have only been able to arrest the decline with a significant amount of effort and training on my part. My experience is unique and there is a raft of academic papers that confirm that GAHT is sufficient to bring the athletic performance of transgender elite athletes in line with their identified sex in around 12 months, but in some cases a lot less.

In 2022, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport performed a landmark analysis, entitled “Transgender Women Athletes and Elite Sport: A Scientific Review” which analysed the available scientific literature published on the subject between 2011 and 2021. Their analysis was both comprehensive and conclusive. To quote the key findings from a biomedical perspective:—

1: “There is limited evidence regarding the impact of testosterone suppression (through, for example, gender affirming hormone therapy or surgical gonad removal) on transgender women athletes’ performance.” 2: “Available evidence indicates trans women who have undergone testosterone suppression have no clear biological advantages over cis women in elite sport.”

And for a key socio-cultural finding:

3: “Policies that impact trans women’s participation in elite sport are the continuation of a long history of exclusion of women from competitive sport – an exclusion that resulted in the introduction of a ‘women’s’ category of sport in the first place.”

I have made the full report available for your perusal. It is a comprehensive and, at times, entertaining read, and I would encourage all attendees to this debate to give it some of your time. The key takeaway I would like you all to consider, as a reason to support this legislation, is that in order to continue to progress as a society we must remove legal and bureaucratic barriers to inclusion. Fundamentally we are still a segregated society when it comes to trans people and it is time that we fully remove the legislative barriers and make it compulsory, legally to include us.

Thank you.

This debate closes at 10PM BST on Tuesday 9 April 2024.

Deputy Speaker,

I am pleased to announce that the Government has signed a contract with Infosys to upgrade the Police National Computer by 2027-2028.

A long-term £600m project to replace the 50-year-old Police National Computer with a new nationwide system: the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS). The old PNC was due to be decommissioned in 2019.

LEDS is a new platform, which will replace and combine the existing Police National Database (PND) and the Police National Computer (PNC). The vision of the Home Office is to provide police and others a super-database, with on-demand, at the point of need access, containing up-to-date and linked information about individuals’ lives. The new system will be paid for over 4 years at 150m per year and will cost 17m per year to run compared to the old system costing up to 21m per year to run.

Thank you.

This statement was made by /u/DavidSwifty, Home Secretary, on behalf of His Majesty's 35th Government.

This debate closes at 10PM BST on Tuesday 9 April 2024.

School Safety Zones Bill

A

BILL

TO

Introduce statutory regulations of the speed of vehicles within the immediate area of schools, and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of House of Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Section 1: Definitions

For the purpose of this Act, the following definitions apply —

(1) ‘Immediate area’ shall refer to a sufficient radius surrounding the school, as determined by the risk assessment.

(2) ‘School’ refers to any establishment whose primary role is to educate young people, this can include nursery, primary and secondary schools.

(3) ‘Inspector’ refers to any employed public official acting on behalf of a public and, or local authority to ensure compliance with official regulations.

Chapter 2: Safety Zones Provisions

Section 2: Safety Zones

(1) School’s shall be given the power to submit a request for a “Safety Zone” to their local authority.

(2) Pursuant to subsection (1), submitted requests shall be enforced within 6 months following the approval stipulations of this Section.

(3) In order to approve applications for a ‘safe haven zone’, a local risk assessment shall be conducted by the local authority and a public consultation shall be held.

(4) The local risk assessment shall include, but be limited to, the consideration of the following —

(a) local school opening and closing times;

(b) nearby traffic and zoning regulations;

(c) ease of access and location of the school; and

(d) the immediate area of enforcement.

(5) Once the local risk assessment and public consultation process has been completed, the report will permit the local authority to implement the following measures within school operating times —

(a) 20MPH maximum speed limiter for the immediate area;

(b) No-parking zone on any streets within the immediate area;

(c) The establishment of roadblocks and, or retractable bollards;

(d) Changes to road layouts to accommodate traffic flow;

(6) Where a risk assessment has been completed, the local authority shall not be required to enforce any additional measures as laid out in subsection (5) that would otherwise harm the considerations made in subsection (4).

Chapter 3: Exemptions and Enforcement

Section 3: Exemptions

(1) In exercising their duties, emergency services shall be exempt from the provisions of this Act.

Section 4: Enforcement Regulations

(1) The Secretary of State may set regulations, via secondary legislation, that make provisions for where the Secretary of State or an inspector are to issue a monetary penalty notice.

(2) Regulations under this Section must secure necessary review and appealment procedures are included.

(3) Regulations under this Chapter shall be subject to negative procedure.

Section 5: Monetary Penalty Notices

(1) Regulations which provide for the issue of a monetary penalty notice must ensure that the Secretary of State or an inspector may issue a monetary penalty notice only where satisfied that the person to whom it is issued had committed a relevant breach.

(2) Regulations which provide for the issue of a monetary penalty notice must require the notice to state —

(a) how the payment may be made,

(b) the period within which payment must be made, and

(c) the consequences of late payment or failure to pay.

(3) Regulations which provide for the issue of a monetary penalty notice may make provision —

(a) for the payment of interest on late payment,

(b) as to how any amounts payable by virtue of the regulations are to be recoverable.

Chapter 4: Final Provisions

Section 6: Final Provisions

(1) This Act shall be known as ‘School Safety Zones Act’

(2) This Act shall commence exactly 3 months from when it receives Royal Assent.

(3) This Act shall extend to England only.

This Bill was submitted by u/Adsea260 , Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury on behalf of the 39th Official Opposition, with contributions from u/rickcall123 , Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and u/Waffel-lol , Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition.

Opening Speech:

Mx Speaker, for too long we in this house have neglected the well being of our children and their safety when travelling to school, this is why i present the School Safety Zones bill aimed at tackling this very specific issue.

The evidence is very clear Mx speaker, we need to limit the speed of cars near schools and we need to allow schools and local police forces the tools to do this, in this bill we will these new powers into statutory law rather than non specific guidelines to be followed by local authorities and do our part in protecting our children when travelling to school Mx Speaker.

I commend the bill to the house Mx Speaker.

This reading will end on Monday 8th April at 10pm BST.

Order, order!

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, /u/rybicue, will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills, /u/FlameBasilisk, may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Spokespersons for Education and Skills from Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, /u/Frost_Walker2017 and /u/TheNewLiberal may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on Tuesday 9th April at 10pm BST. Therefore, no initial questions may be asked after Monday 8th April at 10pm BST.

The candidates for the April 2024 South East by-election are as follows:

• model-mob (Countryside Party)
• VitaminTrev (Labour)
• AdSea260 (Liberal Democrats)
• Weebru_m (Solidarity)

Only those who I’ve just listed are allowed to respond to questions.

All members of the public may ask questions.

This debate will end at the close of the campaign Sunday 7th of April at 10pm BST

B1664 - British Nationality (Amendment) (Inviolability) Bill

A

B I L L

T O

Make British citizenship inviolable and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1. Amendment of the British Nationality Act 1981

(1) The British Nationality Act 1981 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 40(1) insert—

(1A) Citizenship status is inviolable and may not be deprived by the Crown nor the Secretary of State except to the extent permitted by this section.

(2) Omit section 40(2).

(3) In section 40(4), for "subsection (2)" substitute "subsection (3)".

(4) After section 40(6) insert—

(7) Before making an order under subsections (3) and (6), the Secretary of State must also be satisfied that the person intentionally acted dishonestly in order to gain the citizenship status.

(5) Omit section 40A(2)(b) and (c).

2. Reinstatement of citizenship

(1) The citizenship status of any person (P) who has previously had their citizenship status deprived under any enactment or power has their citizenship status revived unless either subsection (2) or subsection (3) applies.

(1) The citizenship status of any person (P) who has previously had their citizenship status deprived under any enactment or power has their citizenship status revived unless either subsection (2), subsection (3) or subsection (4) applies.

(2) This subsection applies if P's citizenship status was deprived for a reason that remains permitted under the British Nationality Act 1981 as amended by previous enactments and this Act.

(3) This subsection applies if the revival of the citizenship status would result in P losing citizenship of, or residency or other leave to remain in, any country other than the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

4) The person having had their citizenship revoked for reasons of national security holds citizenship in a country that is a safe and viable alternative.

(5) But if subsection (1) does not apply because of subsection (3) only, P may notify the Secretary of State that they wish to have their citizenship status revived and subsection (3) will not apply on the issuing of such notice.

(6) The effect of revival is that P is treated as if their citizenship status was never deprived.

(7) But this section does not prevent the Secretary of State from subsequently depriving a person of citizenship status that was revived under this Act in accordance with the British Nationality Act 1981.

3. Commencement, extent and short title

(1) This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.

(1) Section 1 and this section come into force on the day on which this Act is passed.

(2) Section 2 comes into force at the end of the period of three months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.

(3) This Act extends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

(4) This Act may be cited as the British Nationality (Amendment) (Inviolability) Act 2024.

Referenced legislation

• British Nationality Act 1981

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Duke of the Fenlands OM GCMG KCT CB MVO, on behalf of the Labour and Co-operative Party.

Opening Speech

Deputy Speaker,

Citizenship is, I am sure, something that we all value in this House. It provides a foundation for our great nation. It establishes our duties to one another — to protect each other and to look out for each other. And it provides us with our identity.

Under the current law, it is possible for a citizenship to be deprived if the Secretary of State believes it is "conducive to the public good". There is no requirement other than that. It is only necessary for the Secretary of State to be satisfied of that fact. Therefore, challenging such a decision would be difficult under the traditional Wednesbury unreasonableness formulation.

We have a clear system for dealing with people who fail to meet their duties that citizenship entails. That is the criminal justice system. The aim is to rehabilitate someone so that they can slot back into society and further it rather than work against it.

Citizenship deprivation does not do that. It is the nuclear option. We turn our backs on the person and alienate them, and we encourage them to become even more hostile towards us. We assume that another country will take on the burden of bringing them to justice, to rehabilitate them. But this often doesn't happen, and then we have a dangerous criminal roaming free in the world who now despises us even more. Knowing that does not make me feel safe, Deputy Speaker. I would much rather us leave a door open for those who take a wrong in life to return back to society. To allow for terrorists to be deradicalised. To reduce the risk to every resident of the UK.

One final point, Deputy Speaker. We are also required to prevent people becoming stateless under international law. While the current law does provide some protection against this, the problem is that not every country has a respect for their own domestic law or international law. So while we may believe that a person subject to British citizenship deprivation is entitled to citizenship elsewhere, that country may in fact reject it and the person may not have a good right to appeal it. This would render them de facto stateless. We ought to do everything in our power to prevent that.

I commend this Bill to the House.

Debate under this bill closes on Saturday 6th April at 10pm BST

B1657 - Financial Literacy Education (State-funded Secondary Schools) Bill - Final Division

A

B I L L

T O

require the provision of Financial Literacy Education education by all state funded secondary schools;

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:–

Section 1: Financial Literacy in Schools

(1) The Personal, Social, Religious, and Political Education Act 2023 is amended as follows;

(a) In section 5(3b), insert;

(vi) Interacting and engaging with the regulatory authorities and governance authorities involved in financial affairs

(vii) understanding how their consumer and financial decisions affect—

(1) other individuals,

(2) the broader community, and

(3) the natural, economic, and business environment

(viii) Identifying and avoiding any financial scams or similar dangerous environments

Section 1 Financial Literacy education in maintained schools

1. The Education Act 2002 is amended as follows:
2. At the end of Subparagraph 84(3(h(ii)))(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/section/84), insert:

“, and (iii) Financial Literacy.”. 3) At the end of Paragraph 85(4(c)), insert: “, and (d) Financial Literacy.”. 4) Before Section 86, insert a new section: “85B Financial literacy education

1. For the purposes of this Part, Financial literacy education shall comprise formal lessons to equip pupils with age-appropriate skills and knowledge required to understand financial concepts
2. The skills and knowledge under subsection (1) include but are not limited to—

(a) making informed decisions about personal consumer and financial choices; (b) understanding how their consumer and financial decisions affect— (i) other individuals, (ii) the broader community, and (iii) the natural, economic, and business environment (c) learning how to manage financial risks (d) Identifying and avoiding any financial scams or similar dangerous environments (e) Interacting and engaging with the regulatory authorities and governance authorities involved in financial affairs

3) The detail of the curriculum under subsections (1) and (2) shall be determined by the governing body and the head teacher.

4) The Secretary of State may provide further details relating to subsection (2) by regulation

5) The National Curriculum for England is not required to specify attainment targets or assessment arrangements for financial literacy education (and section 84(1) has effect accordingly).

6) It is the duty of the governing body and head teacher of any school in which financial literacy education is provided in pursuance of this section to ensure that information presented in the course of providing financial literacy education should be up up to date and accurate.

7) It shall be a duty on the Secretary of State to—

(a) ensure that financial literacy education is included in accredited initial and continuing teacher education; and (b) to issue guidance on best practice in delivering and inspecting financial literacy education

8) In the exercise of their functions so far as they relate to financial literacy education, a local authority, governing body or head teacher shall have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

9) The Secretary of State shall review the guidance mentioned in subsection (7) at least annually, and in reviewing the guidance the Secretary of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

10) The Secretary of State must amend and reissue the guidance if the Secretary of State considers it would otherwise not be fit for purpose.

11) Regulations under subsection (4)—

(a) shall be made by statutory instrument; and (b) may not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”

Section 2 Financial literacy education education in other state-funded schools

1. The Education Act 1996 is amended as follows
2. After [section 483A]https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/483A , insert a new section—

“483B Financial literacy education

1. For the third and fourth key stages, the curriculum for a school to which this section applies shall include Financial literacy education, comprising the matters set out in section 85B(1) and (2) of EA 2002.
2. It is the duty of the proprietor and head teacher of a school in which Financial literacy education is provided in pursuance of this section to secure that the principles set out in section 85B(7) to (9) of the Education Act 2002 are complied with.
3. In carrying out functions exercisable by virtue of this section, the proprietor and head teacher of a school to which the section applies shall have regard to any guidance issued from time to time by the Secretary of State.
4. The schools to which this section applies are city technology colleges, city colleges for the technology of the arts and academy schools.
5. In this section the “fourth key stage” has the meaning given by section 82(1)(c) and (d) of EA 2002.

Section 2 Consultation, review and revision

1. The Secretary of State shall, before making regulations under section 85B(4) of the Education Act 2002 for the first time, conduct a public consultation about the content and delivery of Financial literacy education.
2. The Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament a report of the public consultation under subsection (1), alongside any statement he thinks appropriate, within 3 months of the closing date of the consultation.
3. The Secretary of State shall make arrangements for the conduct of independent reviews of the quality and impact of Financial literacy education provision to pupils to commence after the first cohort of pupils to receive Financial literacy education throughout key stages 3 and 4 has completed key stage 4.
4. The Secretary of State shall lay a copy of the report of the findings of any review under subsection (3) before each House of Parliament.

Section 2 Extent, commencement, and short title

1. This Act extends to England only.
2. This Act comes into force on the day after the day on which it receives Royal Assent.
3. This Act may be cited as the Financial Literacy (Expansion) (Education) Act 2024

This Bill was submitted by Secretary of State for Education and Skills on behalf of His Majesty’s 34th Government.

Opening Speech

Deputy Speaker

As the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, I am proud to stand as part of this initiative to increase the amount of attention given to financial literacy in state funded schools, something which is vitally important now, and only becoming more important with every passing year.

While most definitions of financial literacy you see are quite broad, that of being able to understand, relate to, and react to financial information, definitions don’t capture just how vital financial literacy is to someone's development, and the ways in which a good level of it can be beneficial for personal development, personal safety, and for societal benefits.

Education serves many functions in our modern society, and we must look beyond those which are purely financial benefits, however, financial literacy is a cornerstone part of someone’s personal development which needs to be adequately responded to, and as of yet has been overlooked.

While comprehensive reviews have been relatively limited in terms of specific findings, we know that far too many adults in the UK have difficulty reading simple financial documents, or understanding the types of authorities that can help them with said documents. The OECD put together a series of findings in 2014.

which, among other things, found that low levels of financial literacy impact negatively on standards of living, physical and psychological wellbeing, and difficulty in attaining financial independence.

These proposals contained in this bill, that or a new focus of financial literacy in the curriculum, and focused lessons that cover financial concepts, will go a long way to trying to boost standards for financial literacy, as well as ensuring we have a keen awareness to any upcoming or emerging financial concerns. A recent example that comes to mind is that of financial scams, and the vast network of scams that can be found online that either fool people into recurring transactions, financial fraud, or tax fraud. These schemes do harm, not just to the individual, but society at large, and while older generations are typically vulnerable, younger people still make up a large chunk of the victims. Classes and lessons like these could easily boost the ability for people to detect and respond to these scams.

It is my hope that this initiative, along with others that the government has introduced, can effectively increase our educational output, our financial safety, and empower students as they grow into adults to build their own future.

Debate under this bill closes on Sunday 7th April at 10pm BST

Order! Order!

Minister's Questions are now in Order!

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Development, /u/weebru_m will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Development, /u/Comped may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Foreign Affairs Spokesperson of a Major Unofficial Opposition Party, /u/Frost_Walker2017 and /u/meneerduif may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State for Transport may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on Sunday 7th April 10pm BST, no initial questions to be asked after Saturday 6th April at 10pm BST.

B1655 - Bottom Trawling, Gillnetting, and Long-Lining (Restriction) (Amendment) Bill

The AYES to the right: 104

the NOES to the left: 31

ABSTENTIONs: 2

NON-VOTES: 12

Turnout:91.95%

The AYES have it! The AYES have it! This bill shall be sent to the Other Place!

B1662 - Gaelic Broadcasting (Repeal) Bill

The AYES to the right: 30

the NOES to the left: 112

ABSTENTIONs: 0

NON-VOTES: 7

Turnout:95.30%

The NOES have it! The NOES have it! This bill shall be thrown out!

M779 - Red Sea Piracy (Impact Response) Motion

The AYES to the right: 122

the NOES to the left: 3

ABSTENTIONs: 17

NON-VOTES: 7

Turnout:95.30%

The AYES have it! The AYES have it! This motion shall be sent to the Government for consideration!

M780 - HS4 Location Motion

The AYES to the right: 51

the NOES to the left: 93

ABSTENTIONs: 0

NON-VOTES: 5

Turnout:96.64%

The NOES have it! The NOES have it! This motion shall be thrown out!

School Freedoms Bill

A

B I L L

T O

provide Primary and Secondary Schools with comprehensive autonomy over Budgets, Curriculum, Policies, and Local Engagement, and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Section One - Interpretation

In this Act:

(1) "Primary School" means a school that provides education to children between the ages of 5 and 11.

(2) "Secondary School" means a school that provides education to children between the ages of 11 and 18.

(3) "Governors" means the governing body of a school as constituted under the relevant provisions of the Education Acts.

Section Two - Enhanced Autonomy over Budgets

(1) Every Primary and Secondary School shall have the power and authority to formulate and manage its own budget, subject to compliance with financial regulations, statute, and in line with any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

(2) In addition to budgetary control, schools shall have the authority to raise supplementary funds through local fundraising efforts, with the funds being used to enhance educational resources, extracurricular activities, and community engagement.

(3) The Secretary of State must ensure that funding from His Majesty’s Government is sufficient to meet the needs of schools.

Section Three - Comprehensive Curriculum Autonomy

(1) Each Primary and Secondary School shall have the authority to determine its curriculum within key stage one, key stage two, and key stage three (as defined by section 82(1) of the Education Act 2002), subject to the requirement that the curriculum must be broad, balanced, inclusive, innovative, and in compliance with national educational standards set by the Secretary of State.

(2) Schools may collaborate with local industries, universities, and cultural organisations to offer specialised courses, workshops, and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for future careers and contribute to the growth of the local economy.

(3) Unless a school has an individual curriculum in place, as defined by section 6 of the Exam Board (Reorganisation) Act 2022, they may not vary the curriculum for the fourth key stage, as defined by section 82(1) of the Education Act 2002.

Section Four - Policy Autonomy and Local Engagement

(1) Primary and Secondary Schools shall have the discretion to establish their own policies on matters such as admissions, discipline, attendance, and student support services, in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

(2) Schools shall establish mechanisms for regular consultation with parents, students, staff, the local community, and other relevant persons to ensure that policies are reflective of local needs, values, and aspirations.

Section Five - Quality Assurance and Improvement

(1) Primary and Secondary Schools shall participate in periodic reviews and self-assessment processes to ensure the maintenance of high educational standards and continuous improvement.

(2) The Secretary of State shall provide support and resources for schools to engage in quality assurance initiatives and share best practices within the educational community.

Section Six - Enhanced Accountability

(1) Schools shall produce annual reports detailing their financial performance, academic achievements, community engagement initiatives, and student outcomes.

(a) These reports must be sent to the relevant Local Authority and the Secretary of State within 14 working days of being compiled.

(b) Once the Local Authority and the Secretary of State issue notice of receipt of the reports and confirm there are no issues with the reports as written, schools must make reports publicly available within 28 working days in such a format to ensure as wide accessibility as possible.

(i) Schools may compile multiple of the same reports for the purposes of ensuring accessibility, such as translating a report into braille or into a foreign language, but must ensure the content is as equivalent to the initial report as is possible.

(2) OFSTED, as reconstituted by the OFSTED Reform Act 2023, shall conduct regular inspections that take into account the broader context of the school's autonomy and its impact on student well-being and development.

Section Seven - Implementation

(1) Schools shall have the option to utilise the powers granted by this Act or the option to not utilise them.

(2) Where a school has decided to utilise the powers granted by this Act, they shall consult such relevant persons as necessary for the implementation of these powers.

(3) Schools must, at minimum, consult;

(a) The Local Authority within which they reside

(b) The board of governors of the school,

(c) The Secretary of State, or a person delegated by the Secretary of State,

before utilising the powers granted by this Act, though they are not required to implement the results of the consultation but may do so if they so decide.

(4) The Secretary of State shall ensure that appropriate guidance and support is made available to schools to ensure they can be well informed about the powers this Act grants schools.

(5) Any changes made under the powers granted by this Act may only be implemented at the commencement of the next academic year, unless the next academic year commences in 90 or sooner in which case they may only be implemented at the commencement of the academic year following the next academic year.

Section Eight - Commencement, Short Title, and Extent

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.

(2) This Act may be cited as the School Freedoms Act 2024.

(3) This Act extends to England only.

This Bill was written by His Grace the Most Honourable Sir /u/Sephronar, the 1st Duke of Hampshire, and the Rt. Hon. Sir Frost_Walker2017, Duke of the Suffolk Coasts, initially for the 33rd Government, and has been submitted on behalf of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party.

Opening Speech: /u/Frost_Walker2017

Deputy Speaker,

I rise in support of this bill. Schools require flexibility to deliver and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach that has plagued education for some time. Every student is different, and such approaches risk failing students up and down the country.

This bill gives schools flexibility over their budgets, their policies, and their curriculum. The former ensures they can take the necessary steps to safeguard their staff and students, delivering the best education possible, while the flexibility over policies ensures that schools have the opportunity to focus on what matters locally. The flexibility over the curriculum ensures that schools can deliver a tailored education and play to the strengths of their educators or local area - a school in Leiston, for example, may seek to emphasise engineering (as a future pathway) to make use of the trained individuals working in the nuclear power station in Sizewell, while a school in a manufacturing area may make use of other skills to educate their students. In Staffordshire, schools may demonstrate ceramics in Art classes and hold enrichment sessions at nearby pottery works. This bill frees up schools to pursue deepening local ties in whatever manner fits best with them, and helps bring together communities by developing respect for the local area.

An inevitable criticism that will arise is that this is academisation through the back door. While I don’t wish to get bogged down debating academies, I believe that while the powers this bill grants are similar to academies it is ultimately more successful in its implementation through the oversight procedures granted by local governments. By returning many of the equivalent powers that academies had to schools, and placing it within the accountability framework provided by local representatives, we ensure that communities can appropriately hold their educators accountable. Under the Academy system, communities with schools in multi-academy trusts would have to fight often opaque accountability and transparency policies and discuss matters with a headquarters many miles away from their area.

It is important that we continue to work on delivering a high quality education system, fit for the 21st century. Schools and the education system are the basis for our future, and it is imperative that we treat the institutions and staff with the respect they deserve. Being able to trust them with the flexibility and freedom to innovate means we set our education sector up to succeed.

For all these reasons, and more, I commend this bill to the House.

This Reading will end on the 5th at 10PM BST

Mr Deputy Speaker,

I do apologise for the delay to the statement, I wanted to make sure every step I take is done properly so as to not jeopardise the inquiry in any way. The statement is to announce the statutory inquiry into misogyny, racism, bullying, transphobia, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and prejudice in law enforcement.

1. I, /u/DavidSwifty, will be chairman of the Inquiry.
2. I wish to work with members of the house, I have invited /u/youmaton and /u/vitamintrev onto the inquiry panel
3. Terms of Reference:

• 1. Listen to and consider carefully the experience of those who have suffered under misogyny, racism, bullying, transphobia, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and prejudice in law enforcement.
• 2. Whether further reforms are required to secure public confidence in police conduct.

This statement was given by u/davidswifty**, Secretary of State for the Home Department**

Debate of this statement will end on the 5th at 10PM BST

Order, order!

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Secretary of State for Defence, u/ironass3 , will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, u/underwater_tara , may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Spokespeople for Defence of Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, u/the_nunnster and u/Chi0121 may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session ends on the 5th of April at 10PM BST. No initial questions may be asked after the 4th of April at 10PM BST.

Smoking Elimination Bill

A

BILL

TO

Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.

(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target,

(b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan,

(c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and

(d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week

(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco,

(b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus,

(c) heated tobacco products, or

(d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or

(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.

(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.

(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,

(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,

(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products

(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy,

(b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy,

(c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age,

(b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age,

(c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods,

(d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises,

(e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products

(b) replace Section 1 subsection c with:

“c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or-

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.

(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.

(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or

(b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or

(c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Smoking Elimination Act 2024.

This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame /u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir /u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government

Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.

This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.

Opening Speech:

Deputy Speaker,

The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.

Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.

Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.

To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.

The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.

This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.

Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.

The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into force no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).

This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.

The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.

The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.

And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.

Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.

This reading ends at 10PM BST on Wednesday 3 April 2024.

Cornwall (Local Government) Bill 2024

A

BILL

TO

Reform local government in Cornwall.

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Repeals

The following Acts are repealed—

[The Cornwall County Council Act 1971](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1971/54/contents/enacted)

[The Cornwall County Council Act 1984](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1984/19/contents/enacted)

[The Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 2008](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/491/contents/made)

1 Establishment of new councils in Cornwall

(1) On 1st April 2026—

(a) the following local government areas shall be established—

(i) the borough of Restormel,

(ii) the district of Caradon,

(iii) the district of Carrick,

(iv) the district of Kerrier,

(v) the district of North Cornwall, and

(vi) the district of Penwith; and

(b) the following councils shall be established—

(i) Caradon District Council,

(ii) Carrick District Council,

(iii) Kerrier District Council,

(iv) North Cornwall District Council,

(v) Penwith District Council, and

(vi) Restormel Borough Council.

2 Confirmation Vote

(1) This Act enables for a plebiscite to be held within the English region of Cornwall on the topic of local government reorganisation;

(a) This plebiscite shall be run by the Electoral Commission

(2) This plebiscite shall be held no later than one year after this Act is approved by both houses of Parliament;

(a) The Secretary of State or Minister responsible for Local Government shall issue directions to the Electoral Commission establishing the date of the plebiscite;

(b) There must be no fewer than 25 days in-between the announcement of the plebiscite date, and the actual date of the plebiscite;

(3) Any voter eligible to vote within General Elections who currently resides within the English region of Cornwall shall be eligible to vote in this plebiscite;

3 Extent, Commencement and Short Title

(1) This Act shall extend to England.

(2) This Act shall come into force six (6) months following an affirmative vote of a plebiscite as specified in Section 3 of this Act.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Cornwall (Local Government) Act 2024.

This Bill was written by The Most Hon. Dame /u/Inadorable LG LT LP LD GCMG GCB DBE CT CVO MP MSP MS MLA FRS as a Private Member’s Bill and is co-sponsored by /u/Muffin5136, /u/model-gwen, /u/Faelif, /u/lily-irl and /u/realbassist

Deputy Speaker,

The people of Cornwall have been robbed of their direct representation in town councils since 2009, with the decisions that ought to be made locally by local people now being taken by an unaccountable, technocratic organisation known as the Cornwall Council. This council, unaccountable as it is, cannot truly deliver for the people of Cornwall and shouldn’t be left as the sole authority above the parish able to deliver for the people of this county. Deputy Speaker, this bill seeks to resolve this issue, by reinstating the six borough and district councils abolished by the Labour government in 2008 and ensuring that powers that belong close to the people are actually left close to the people.

This reading ends on Monday 1st April at 10pm BST.

Order, order!

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Secretary of State for Digital, Space, Science and Culture, /u/model-avtron, will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Space, Science and Culture, /u/Amazonas122, may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Spokespersons for Digital, Space, Science and Culture from Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, /u/Model-Ben and /u/XVillan may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on Tuesday 2nd April at 10pm BST. Therefore, no initial questions may be asked after Monday 1st April at 10pm BST.

B1651 - Glue Traps Bill

The AYES to the right: 100

the NOES to the left: 37

ABSTENTIONs: 3

NON-VOTES: 9

Turnout:93.69%

AYES have it! The AYES have it! This bill shall be sent to the Other Place!

B1658 - Responsibility for Safety Bill

The AYES to the right: 82

the NOES to the left:39

ABSTENTIONs: 21

NON-VOTES: 7

Turnout: 95.30%

AYES have it! The AYES have it! This bill shall be sent to the Other Place!

B1659 - Climate Change Bill

The AYES to the right: 112

the NOES to the left: 29

ABSTENTIONs: 0

NON-VOTES: 8

Turnout:94.63%

AYES have it! The AYES have it! This bill shall be sent to the Other Place!

B1660 - Grammar Schools (Reinstatement) Bill

The AYES to the right: 67

the NOES to the left: 72

ABSTENTIONs: 0

NON-VOTES: 10

Turnout:93.29%

The NOES have it! The NOES have it! This bill shall be thrown out!

B1618.3 - Public Transport (Ticketing) Bill

The AYES to the right: 75

the NOES to the left:63

ABSTENTIONs: 3

NON-VOTES: 8

Turnout:94.63%

AYES have it! The AYES have it! This bill shall be sent to Royal Assent!

Equality (Amendment) (Sunrise Clause) Bill

A

B I L L

T O

bring the remaining provisions of the Equality Act 2010 into force and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1. Amendment of the Equality Act 2010

(1) Section 216 of the Equality Act 2010 is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2), at the beginning insert "Subject to subsection (8)".

(3) In subsection (3), for "subsections (4) and (6)" substitute "subsections (4), (6), and (8)".

(4) At the end insert—

(8) Any provisions not yet in force on 1 July 2024 come into force on that date, except a provision in Scotland where subsection (4) applies.

2. Requirements to make regulations

The Secretary of State must make regulations under sections 78, 106, 160, 162, 163, 164 of the Equality Act 2010 by no later than 31 December 2024.

3. Commencement, extent and short title

(1) This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.

(2) This Act extends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland

(3) This Act may be cited as the Equality (Amendment) (Sunrise Clause) Act 2024.

Referenced legislation

​

• Equality Act 2010. Note there are some subsequent amendments by the Scotland Act 2016 and Wales Act 2017 that will be canon. The link for section 216 in the body uses the 1 April 2018 as the reference date because the only amendments to that section are by these two acts. This link uses the divergence date in 2014.

Relevant legislation

​

• Equality (Amendment) Act 2017. This provides a sunrise clause for Part 1.

• Equality Act (Amendment) Act 2023. This extends the Equality Act 2010 to Northern Ireland.

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Duke of the Fenlands OM GCMG KCT CB MVO, on behalf of the Labour and Co-operative Party.

Opening Speech

My Lords,

During the campaign, the Labour and Co-operative Party committed to bringing several parts of the Equality Act 2010 into force. We already did this for Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010 for socio-economic inequalities with the Equality (Amendment) Act 2017 in England and Wales. Now it is the time to do it for the rest of the Act.

Section 14 provides that direct discrimination can be on the basis of a combination of characteristics. This position has been developed through case law in any case, but section 14 will provide a clearer statement of the law and ensure it applies in all the cases it should do.

Section 36 and section 38 are partly in force already. They require reasonable adjustments to be made in certain residential premises. But it does not yet apply to common parts, such as shared kitchens or bathrooms. Bringing these sections into force will ensure that disabled people have full access to housing where it is not disproportionate to achieve this.

Section 78 allows the government to require employers to publish gender pay gap information.

Section 106 requires that election candidate diversity information is published by registered political parties.

Sections 160, 162, 163, and 164 allow the government to create regulations about taxi accessibility. Although the Accessible Taxis Act 2022 created some additional requirements on taxi drivers and operators, sections 160 and 162 cover more technical requirements such as the floor size, headroom, and so on.

Sections 165 and 167 enable wheelchair users to use taxis through duties on taxi drivers to carry wheelchair users for no extra fee unless an exemption fee applies. It also allows for licensing authorities to maintain a list of accessible taxis.

Sections 191 and 196 provide limited exceptions to the Equality Act 2010, primarily where a person is required to contravene the Act because of legislation. This extends the exception to age.

Part 15 removes outdated, sexist concepts such as the "requirement" for a husband in particular to support his wife and — by implication — a wife being unable to support herself. Marriage is intended to be an equal partnership, and we now have more modern provisions on our statute books under the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978, and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. Spouses will not be left in the lurch by the abolition of the common law rule because modern laws now exist.

Part 15 also abolishes the presumption of advancement. The normal rule for transfers of property is to assume that it is held on trust for the transferor unless it can be shown that it was a gift. The presumption of advancement means that a man transferring property to a spouse, fiancée or child will be assumed to be making a gift instead. The presumption does not apply to anyone else. By abolishing the presumption, the normal rule will apply to everyone.

Also in Part 15 is the equalisation of the rule on housekeeping allowances. The current legislation provides that money and property derived from housekeeping allowances given by a husband to his wife is shared equally. But it does not provide for the reverse. Section 200 will ensure that the concept applies to all housekeeping allowances regardless of the source. And section 201 applies the general concept to civil partnerships as well.

Section 211, schedule 26 and schedule 27 make necessary amendments, repeals and revocations. Some of these are already in force, but the remaining ones will be brought into force as well to reflect the provisions I just mentioned coming into force.

Section 2 of this Bill creates a duty on the Government to effect the provisions on gender pay gaps, political party diversity information, and accessible taxis by the end of the year. This is to ensure that provisions are no longer sat on our statute books unused.

My Lords, the remaining parts of the Equality Act 2010 will help to advance equality in this country. They may be wide ranging, from the equalisation of marriage to statistical information, but they all work towards the goal of making sure that protected characteristics are not used to subject someone to a detriment. Parliament has debated the provisions before, but unfortunately successive governments have not had time, or in some cases the will, to enact these modernising provisions. Now is the time Parliament provided a backstop and ensures they are put in place.

I commend this Bill to the House.

​

This reading will end on the 30th at 10PM

Order, order

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, u/wineredpsy, will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, u/Hobnob88, may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Spokespeople for the Chancellor of the Exchequer of Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, u/CountBrandenburg and u/DylPickle_PolUK may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the chancellor of the Exchequer or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on the 31st of March at 10pm GMT, no initial questions may be asked after the 30th of March a 10pm GMT

B1664 - British Nationality (Amendment) (Inviolability) Bill

A

B I L L

T O

Make British citizenship inviolable and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1. Amendment of the British Nationality Act 1981

(1) The British Nationality Act 1981 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 40(1) insert—

(1A) Citizenship status is inviolable and may not be deprived by the Crown nor the Secretary of State except to the extent permitted by this section.

(2) Omit section 40(2).

(3) In section 40(4), for "subsection (2)" substitute "subsection (3)".

(4) After section 40(6) insert—

(7) Before making an order under subsections (3) and (6), the Secretary of State must also be satisfied that the person intentionally acted dishonestly in order to gain the citizenship status.

(5) Omit section 40A(2)(b) and (c).

2. Reinstatement of citizenship

(1) The citizenship status of any person (P) who has previously had their citizenship status deprived under any enactment or power has their citizenship status revived unless either subsection (2) or subsection (3) applies.

(2) This subsection applies if P's citizenship status was deprived for a reason that remains permitted under the British Nationality Act 1981 as amended by previous enactments and this Act.

(3) This subsection applies if the revival of the citizenship status would result in P losing citizenship of, or residency or other leave to remain in, any country other than the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

(4) But if subsection (1) does not apply because of subsection (3) only, P may notify the Secretary of State that they wish to have their citizenship status revived and subsection (3) will not apply on the issuing of such notice.

(5) The effect of revival is that P is treated as if their citizenship status was never deprived.

(6) But this section does not prevent the Secretary of State from subsequently depriving a person of citizenship status that was revived under this Act in accordance with the British Nationality Act 1981.

3. Commencement, extent and short title

(1) This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.

(2) This Act extends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the British Nationality (Amendment) (Inviolability) Act 2024.

Referenced legislation

• British Nationality Act 1981

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Duke of the Fenlands OM GCMG KCT CB MVO, on behalf of the Labour and Co-operative Party.

Opening Speech

Deputy Speaker,

Citizenship is, I am sure, something that we all value in this House. It provides a foundation for our great nation. It establishes our duties to one another — to protect each other and to look out for each other. And it provides us with our identity.

Under the current law, it is possible for a citizenship to be deprived if the Secretary of State believes it is "conducive to the public good". There is no requirement other than that. It is only necessary for the Secretary of State to be satisfied of that fact. Therefore, challenging such a decision would be difficult under the traditional Wednesbury unreasonableness formulation.

We have a clear system for dealing with people who fail to meet their duties that citizenship entails. That is the criminal justice system. The aim is to rehabilitate someone so that they can slot back into society and further it rather than work against it.

Citizenship deprivation does not do that. It is the nuclear option. We turn our backs on the person and alienate them, and we encourage them to become even more hostile towards us. We assume that another country will take on the burden of bringing them to justice, to rehabilitate them. But this often doesn't happen, and then we have a dangerous criminal roaming free in the world who now despises us even more. Knowing that does not make me feel safe, Deputy Speaker. I would much rather us leave a door open for those who take a wrong in life to return back to society. To allow for terrorists to be deradicalised. To reduce the risk to every resident of the UK.

One final point, Deputy Speaker. We are also required to prevent people becoming stateless under international law. While the current law does provide some protection against this, the problem is that not every country has a respect for their own domestic law or international law. So while we may believe that a person subject to British citizenship deprivation is entitled to citizenship elsewhere, that country may in fact reject it and the person may not have a good right to appeal it. This would render them de facto stateless. We ought to do everything in our power to prevent that.

I commend this Bill to the House.

This reading shall end on Friday the 29th of March at 10PM

Statement by the Secretary of State for Defence Regarding the Situation in the Middle East

Mr Speaker,

Today we face an untenable situation in the Middle East. As a result of a protracted campaign of targeting civilians in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces, an entirely preventable famine looms within the strip, with 677,000 people facing starvation, and 197,000 deaths expected by August not directly because of bombs or bullets, but because of the collective punishment inflicted by Israeli Forces upon the people of Gaza, by refusing to allow sufficient quantities of food, water, and fuel to enter the territory.

Simultaneously, attacks on civilian shipping have picked up in the Red Sea, with major shipping companies deciding to avoid it entirely, cutting off shipping lanes to states that surround the Sea, including Sudan, which is suffering a serious humanitarian situation of its own.

These twin crises represent a clear and present danger to the future security of the Middle East, and to maintain this potential for peace in the near future, it is clear to this Government that action by the British Armed Forces is required.

I have therefore recently given two orders to the Chief of Defence Staff, with the consent of the Prime Minister. Firstly, to deploy HMS Defender to join EUNAVFOR ASPIDES’ operations throughout the Red Sea, to assist HMS Diamond’s work in intercepting missiles fired at civilian shipping, and intercepting other attacks on shipping throughout the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. It will safeguard shipping and enhance our cooperation with European military operations.

I have also given the order to commence Operation Manna, which I will now outline for the benefit of the House. As I am giving this statement to you, two C-17 Globemaster Aircraft are flying from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, carrying 72,000 meals each in 18 master pallets per plane. They will drop these across the Gaza Strip, fly back to Akrotiri five times per day, pick up another load, and continue delivering 720,000 meals daily between them. They will continue this until phase two of Operation Manna can commence.

Simultaneously, HMS Albion, a Landing Platform Dock of the Royal Navy, is being loaded with 1400 tons of humanitarian aid spread across 50 twenty-foot containers, including food, fuel, and medical supplies. She will, in approximately 24 hours once fully loaded, set sail for Gaza, where she will offload her cargo, utilising her 4 Landing Craft Utility boats to carry containers to shore over two days, where they will be distributed by local NGOs and UN organisations, providing vital aid to the people of Gaza. HMS Albion will continue to be assigned to this role and perform it in a 23-day cycle, alongside less frequent airdrops of other, more immediately needed resources as requested by local NGOs, while this phase of the mission continues, until the United States’ planned pier in Gaza is complete, to allow conventional sealift operations to occur without the need for amphibious ships, which will be performed by the Point Class ro-ro ships, under the control of the Ministry of Defence, allowing for much greater quantities of aid to make it into Gaza. This Government also intends to send personnel to assist with the United States’ mission to construct a pier for conventional ships to unload properly, and at present we remain in discussions with the Biden Administration as to the best resources for the British Armed Forces to deploy to speed this process along.

Mr Speaker, this Government wants to make very clear indeed that the United Kingdom will not tolerate a preventable famine in Gaza, and we will do our utmost to ensure that it does not happen, irrespective of cost. We are deploying forces to provide all possible aid in the immediate term, the medium term, and the long term, and the Government does not intend to stop simply at this emergency humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza. This Government also remains committed to the freedom of innocent Navigation through the Red Sea, and ensuring that it is open to trade, hence the deployment of an additional naval asset to the region to assist existing forces.

I commend this statement to the house.

This statement is delivered by the Secretary of State for Defence /u/ironass3 MP PC

This debate shall end on Friday the 29th of March at 10PM

Wages Bill

A

Bill

To

Update UK-wide minimum wage legislation and amend living wage entitlement

BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Section 1: Amendments to the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (The 1998 Act)

(1) Append to Section 2 of the 1998 Act:

(9) The Secretary of State must, on an annual basis, make provision by regulation to ensure that the National Minimum Wage increases by the level of average earnings, by the average rate of inflation for the previous year, or by 2.5%, whatever number is higher.

(2) Section 45 of The 1998 Act is repealed in its entirety.

(3) Section 45A is repealed in its entirety.

(4) In Section (3) wherever 26 occurs, substitute 21. (5) In Section 4(2), wherever 26 occurs, substitute 21.

Section 2: The National Living Wage

(1) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, set rates for a National Living Wage.

(2) The National Living Wage replaces the National Minimum Wage for all persons over the age of 23.

(3) The National Living Wage must be adjusted on an annual basis as per provisions in Section 1(1).

(4) The Automatic Increase in the National Living Wage must be set according to the Consumer Price Index rate as calculated by the Office of National Statistics.

Section 3: The National Living Wage for London

(1) The Secretary of State must, on an annual basis, make provision by regulation for a National Living Wage for persons resident or working at an address within Greater London.

(2) The Secretary of State must define this wage on the advice of the Office of the Mayor of London.

Section 4: Repeals

(1) National Minimum Wage (Increase) Act 2019 is repealed in its entirety.

(2) National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2021 is repealed in its entirety.

Section 5: Short title, commencement and extent.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Wages Act 2024.

(2) This Act comes into force on the First of January 2025.

(3) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom.

This Bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame Countess Kilcreggan CT KG MVO PC and is submitted as a Bill on Behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Links to Amended/Cited Legislation:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39/contents

https://www.reddit.com/r/MHOLVote/comments/bogykx/b775_national_minimum_wage_increase_bill_3rd/

https://www.reddit.com/r/MHOLVote/comments/plfg0d/b1244_national_minimum_wage_amendment_bill_final/

Opening Speech

Mr Speaker,

I am glad to be standing in this Place, having written my first piece of legislation in several months. This bill is written to simplify, consolidate and make sensible the manner in which minimum wage legislation works in the UK. To explain how things work currently, as I understand them, any working adult is entitled to the same minimum wage regardless of age, or the terms of their employment. If a person is employed under an apprenticeship scheme, they are entitled to the same rate of pay as a full time trained employee. The problem with this is it creates no incentive for the business to take on an apprentice when they could take on someone who’s been trained elsewhere. It needs to be a genuinely good idea from a business perspective for a company to take on an apprentice who may not be able to produce fruitful work for some months or even years following hiring. This same argument can be applied to young people. If all adults are entitled to the same wage then it becomes significantly more difficult for a company to hire a young person. Arguments that this will leave young people functionally worse off don’t carry water because of the robust welfare system successive governments have created. As of 2022, 58 percent of males and 68 percent of females that were aged 20 still lived with their parents in the United Kingdom. By creating this incentive to get more young people into the workforce, we will be encouraging more businesses to actively seek to hire young people, and it will not result in mass layoffs as I am sure the members opposite will like to posture. We will boost employment by this measure and as I have stated, the basic income system previously established will ensure that no matter what, young people will be able to keep their heads above water.

The other notable changes this legislation makes is to remove the provision that exempts prisoners from being paid the minimum wage. A prisoner’s work is not worth less than someone on the outside, Mr Speaker, and it is right that they are compensated in the same way as any person of the same age. This legislation also makes provision for a separate minimum wage for London which is prudent given the significantly higher cost of living in the Capital.

I hope the House sees fit to support this legislation.

Thank you.

This Reading will end on the 28th of March

Order, order!

Minister's Questions are now in order!

The Secretary of State for Transport, Housing and Local Government, u/Inadorable , will be taking questions from the House.

The Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Housing and Local Government, u/theverywetbanana , may ask 6 initial questions.

As the Spokespeople for Transport, Housing and Local Government of Major Unofficial Opposition Parties, u/model-finn, u/driftersbuddy may ask 3 initial questions.

Everyone else may ask 2 questions; and are allowed to ask another question in response to each answer they receive. (4 in total)

Questions must revolve around 1 topic and not be made up of multiple questions.

In the first instance, only the Secretary of State or junior ministers may respond to questions asked to them. 'Hear, hear.' and 'Rubbish!' (or similar), are permitted.

This session shall end on the 29th of March at 10pm GMT, no initial questions may be asked after the 28th of March a 10pm GMT