This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL], scheduled to take place on 25 June 2019.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (273 KB , PDF)
The next Commonwealth Games are set to take place in Birmingham between 27 July and 7 August 2022. The Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL] is a government bill that would provide the legal basis for certain time-limited measures in support of the games. It had its first reading on 5 June 2019. It is scheduled to receive its second reading on 25 June 2019.
The bill would provide the legal basis for certain time-limited measures in support of the games. These are grouped in four main areas:
The provisions have precedence in legislation for previous sporting events, such as the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The bill has been welcomed by individuals including John Crabtree, chair of the Birmingham 2022 organising committee; Ian Ward, Labour leader of Birmingham City Council; Andy Street, Conservative mayor of the West Midlands; and David Grevemberg, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (273 KB , PDF)
Music forms part of the national curriculum up to key stage 3. Recent statistics show increases in GCSE music entries in summer 2025 compared to the previous academic year, but there has also been a drop in A-level entries in the same period. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the quality of music provision in schools and the difficulties faced by children from more deprived areas in accessing music education.
In September 2024 the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee launched an inquiry into the scaleup challenges facing startup enterprises working with artificial intelligence (AI) and creative technology. In a report published in February 2025, the committee warned the UK risked becoming an incubator economy where UK startups developed innovative products and services before selling out or moving abroad. This briefing summarises the report’s recommendations and the government’s response.
In November 2024, the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee published a report examining the future of the news sector in the UK. While acknowledging the sector’s strengths, it expressed concerns about declining trust and revenue, threats to investigative reporting and the influence of artificial intelligence (AI). It made several recommendations to the government and others, including dedicating resources to address the challenges of AI and developing a media literacy strategy.
