Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords

This month from the Liberal Democrats in the Lords

• Freedom of Information exemption defeated
• Stopping more red tape for councils
• Op-Ed: We have dawdled too long on Lords Reform

In the House

The Government’s Freedom of Information order attempting to exempt MPs and Peers from the provisions of the FoI Act received its death-knell in the Lords when Tom McNally tabled a motion to defeat it. Cross-benchers and others lined up behind it to prevent the Government’s move. This was the third attempt to exempt Parliament from the FoI requirements, the first coming from the Conservative benches, and the challenge now is making sure we nip all future attempts in the bud.

Tony Greaves has launched an assault on the Government’s Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill tabling over 100 amendments to just one Part. Part 1 of the Bill includes over eight pages of primary legislation with no fewer than 2,300 words setting out detailed rules for dealing with petitions which Councils will have to write into their constitutions. In addition they are threatening Councils with thousands more words of “statutory guidance” which will have to be heeded.  Petitions on the Downing Street website don’t have Terms and Conditions that long, why force councils to follow a draconian format?

With so much legislation being in the early stages, the importance of single issue debates to hold the Government to account increases. Alex Carlile and Veronica Linklater have taken them to task over the treatment of women in prison and their poor record in promoting more effective and alternative sentences.

Op-Ed: We have dawdled too long on Lords Reform – Tom McNally

The first step of House of Lords reform in 1999 provided an advisory and revisory second chamber which was cost effective, did its work well and received great public trust and confidence.

It is a measure of the seriousness of the present situation that the high reputation until now enjoyed by the House of Lords is in danger of being irretrievably lost. That we have been exposed to such dangers is due in no small measure to the failure of the Government and the House itself to follow up the 1999 reforms with any sense of urgency. As a result too many loose ends and grey areas have survived in the way the House conducts its business and its powers to enforce discipline.

When I spoke in the Queens Speech debate on 3 December I expressed the view that the absence of any measures to take forward reforms of the House of Lords was an opportunity missed. I went on to encourage Liberal Democrat Peers to bring forward Private Members Bills to deal with outstanding abuses and both David Steel and Matthew Oakeshott did so.

If the Government still refuse to bring forward their own Bill, the Oakeshott and Steel Bills offer speedy reform in priority areas such as powers to suspend and expel, tax status of peers and a statutory footing for the Lords Appointments Commission.

All Parties and Peers must understand that kicking further reform into the long grass on a sometimes/never basis is no-longer an option if the reputation of the Lords is to be restored and public confidence regained.

This month from the Liberal Democrats in the Lords:

• Where have all the Conservatives gone?
• A Government that has run out of ideas

This month: Missing Conservatives and Missing Ideas

This month:

• Government defeat on 42 days
• Gurkhas Bill passes the Lords
• The Scottish Parliament
• Sue Miller Op-Ed: Secret Inquests 

October eNewsletter from the Liberal Democrats in the Lords