In Focus
On 30 March 2023, the House of Lords is due to debate adult social care. The debate is expected to focus on government plans for adult social care, new duties for the Care Quality Commission to assess local authorities, and several non-government reports on how adult social care in England should be reformed. This article considers these issues and outlines social care policy announcements made by successive Conservative administrations in recent years.
Current Affairs Digest
In December 2022, the Labour Party published the final report of the Commission on the UK’s Future, also known as the Brown Commission, chaired by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The report proposed several constitutional changes, including the replacement of the House of Lords with an elected second chamber called the Assembly of the Nations and Regions. This article considers the proposals for the second chamber and sets out reaction to them from both inside and outside Westminster.
In Focus
The Barnett formula calculates the yearly change to the block grant; this is the largest of the grants provided to the devolved administrations by the UK government. The formula aims to give each nation the same pounds-per-person change in funding each year. However, criticisms about equity have been made regarding how the formula is calculated. Calls for reform have mainly focused on proposals to introduce a universal needs-based factor to the formula.
Research Briefing
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Organ and Tissue Donation) Bill would extend the deadline for forming a Northern Ireland executive to 18 January 2024. It would also allow the secretary of state to set an Assembly election date earlier than this if no executive had been formed. It would also allow regulations to be made about the rule for organ donation in Northern Ireland in the absence of a functioning Assembly.
In Focus
The Dunlop review examined whether UK government structures were set up to “realise fully all the benefits of being a United Kingdom”. Its report, published in March 2021, made recommendations on reforms the UK government should make to the machinery of government and the civil service to strengthen the working of the union. This article looks at how its recommendations have been taken forward.
In Focus
Police and crime panels are local bodies that scrutinise police and crime commissioners in England and Wales. There have been some concerns that they lack the right resources, training and powers to carry out the role effectively. A recent government review concluded they had the right powers at their disposal. Following the review, the government updated guidance for panel members and support officers.
In Focus
In its second report, the House of Lords Commons Frameworks Scrutiny Committee considered the progress made on the UK common frameworks programme. Common frameworks are non-binding agreements between the UK and devolved governments that set out ways of working on a range of policy areas. They are required for some devolved policy areas that have been affected by Brexit. The committee raised concerns that the programme was at risk of becoming a “missed opportunity”. It made a number of recommendations, the majority of which the government has accepted.
In Focus
The Bank of England is considering whether to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the UK. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, CBDCs are digital forms of money issued and backed by a central bank. The House of Lords is due to debate a 2022 report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee which concluded that it had “yet to hear a convincing case” for why the UK needs a CBDC.
Research Briefing
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 6 February 2023. The bill would automatically revoke, or ‘sunset’, most retained EU law at the end of 2023. However it would also give ministers powers to exempt some retained EU law from the sunset and to restate, reproduce, replace or update retained EU law by statutory instrument.
Research Briefing
The Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) Bill is a short private member's bill which would change the inflationary measure used during annual pitch fee reviews for mobile homes from the retail prices index (RPI) to the consumer prices index (CPI). CPI is generally lower than RPI, which proponents of the bill say will provide a cost saving to mobile home owners. The bill is sponsored by Lord Udny-Lister (Conservative). It completed its passage in the House of Commons with no amendment or debate. The bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 21 November 2022 and is scheduled to have its second reading on 3 February 2022. Housing policy is a devolved matter. The bill extends to England and Wales but would only apply to England. It would come into force two months after royal assent.
In Focus
One of the tasks of the House of Lords Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee is to scrutinise EU legislative proposals that may affect Northern Ireland because of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The House of Lords is due to debate a report from the committee that summarises the first year of its work on this issue and the government’s commitment to facilitating this parliamentary scrutiny.
Research Briefing
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill would give effect to aspects of the government’s levelling up agenda to reduce economic, social and environmental disparities between and within different parts of the UK. It would provide for the government to set statutory levelling up missions amongst other measures, including significant proposals concerning planning in England. A number of clauses were added to the bill during the bill’s passage through the House of Commons.
In Focus
In January 2022, the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report calling for the UK government to set out a “clearer vision” for the future of the UK’s union. Although it welcomed the government’s commitment to the union, it argued that a more modern style of governance was needed, and that it was “imperative” that all executives and legislatures worked “constructively and in partnership”. The government has welcomed the report and said it would consider several of its recommendations.
In Focus
In 2003, Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth following a suspension for human rights violations. In 2018, the country began the process of rejoining the organisation. This process is ongoing. However, it has been argued that Zimbabwe should not be allowed to rejoin as it does not meet the required standards in respect of its human rights record, democratic processes and institutions and rule of law.
In Focus
The government created the Oak National Academy during the Covid-19 pandemic to support remote learning. It has since been converted into an arms-length body that is focused on supporting teachers. Concerns have been raised that the creation of a body that provides free resources for teachers could negatively affect commercial suppliers. However, the government had argued that this impact would be lower than predicted by the market.
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