• Research Briefing

    Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill: HL Bill 116 of 2024–25

    The Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill is a private member’s bill which seeks to align the rules regarding applying online for absent voting (postal or proxy votes) in Scotland and Wales with rules in England. While voters can currently apply for absent votes in several elections online, this does not include local elections in Scotland and Wales and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd. Absent votes can still be applied for but must be done via a paper form. The bill also includes provisions giving the Scottish and Welsh governments powers to include an identity verification requirement on absent voting applications. It would also align postal voting renewal cycles. The bill is sponsored by Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour) and is scheduled to have its second reading on 5 September 2025. The bill passed its Commons stages with only technical amendments and received cross-party support.

  • In Focus

    Votes at 16

    Following Labour’s manifesto commitment to lower the voting age to 16, this briefing considers the potential impact on turnout, electoral outcomes and democratic engagement.

  • Research Briefing

    Planning and Infrastructure Bill: HL Bill 110 of 2024–25

    The Planning and Infrastructure Bill would make changes to the system for approving major infrastructure projects, planning committees and nature recovery. It would also make changes to electricity and transport infrastructure processes, development corporations, spatial development strategies, and compulsory purchase. The government intends the bill to help grow the economy by enabling important infrastructure and homes to be built more quickly. Some parts of the bill, particularly those related to nature recovery, have attracted criticism from opposition parties and external bodies.

  • In Focus

    Executive oversight of the UK constitution: Lords Constitution Committee report

    In January 2025 the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report on the responsibility of the government (the executive) to oversee the constitution. It concluded that the UK’s constitutional arrangements would benefit from several improved safeguards, such as the appointment of a senior minister to advise on constitutional matters and for advisory bodies to be put on a statutory footing.

  • In Focus

    A new national policy statement for nuclear energy generation

    National policy statements (NPSs) inform decision-making for nationally significant infrastructure projects. The current NPS for nuclear power generation (EN-6) has effect for listed nuclear projects capable of being deployed by the end of 2025. Both the current and previous governments have consulted on a new NPS (EN-7) that would apply to nuclear power stations expected to be deployed after 2025. This briefing gives an overview of NPSs, the proposed new NPS for nuclear power generation and the reaction to it, as well as the current government’s policy on nuclear energy.

  • Research Briefing

    Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill: HL Bill 96 of 2024–25

    The government has committed to reducing and reclaiming public money lost to fraud and error. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill contains provisions to extend Cabinet Office and Public Sector Fraud Authority powers to tackle fraud and error outside the tax and benefits system, and also expands powers to tackle fraud within the benefits system. The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 May 2025.

  • In Focus

    End of the second world war: 80th anniversary

    2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day, events which in 1945 brought an end to the second world war. On those days 80 years ago, celebrations erupted across Britain. However, world leaders and domestic politicians were aware of the numerous problems still to be tackled, such as reconstruction, demobilisation and the legacy of the development and use of the atomic bomb.

  • In Focus

    Compensation for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism

    Between the 1970s and 1990s, the Gaddafi-led Libyan regime supplied the Provisional IRA with weapons, finance and military training. This included shipments of the explosive Semtex, which was used in several bombings where a number of people died and many more were injured. Campaigners have called on the UK government to use Libyan assets frozen in 2011 to compensate victims. However, successive governments, including the current Labour government, have declined to do so, arguing it would break international law.

  • In Focus

    Reforming the House of Lords in the shadow of the Parliament Act

    In March 1925, the House of Lords debated a motion calling for legislation to be introduced to reform the House of Lords. Whilst composition was among the issues raised, debate focused on the loss of the House’s powers, which were curtailed by the Parliament Act 1911. The 1911 act had also called for the House to be reconstituted on a popular rather than hereditary basis. This briefing looks back at the discussion.

  • In Focus

    Reforming the civil service

    The government has said it wants to reform the civil service by reducing its size and improving its performance. This briefing considers the measures the government has announced, and the reaction to them from unions and commentators.

  • In Focus

    Peerages created following prime ministerial resignations

    UK prime ministers may draw up a resignation honours list on their departure from office, in which they may request that the reigning monarch grant honours to any number of people. Such honours may include peerages, knighthoods and damehoods, or other awards. However, not all have chosen to draw up such a list. This briefing lists those prime ministers who have requested that peerages be conferred on their departure from office.

  • In Focus

    Constitution Committee report on the governance of the union

    The House of Lords Constitution Committee has re-examined relations between the UK government and devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland following the introduction of new intergovernmental relations structures in January 2022 and its own earlier inquiry on the subject. In a report published in September 2024, the committee urged the government to add a new principle of positive engagement to the principles underpinning the new structures.

  • In Focus

    Public inquiries: Enhancing public trust—report by the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee

    In November 2024, the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee published a report examining public inquiries established under the Inquiries Act 2005. While recognising their positive impact, the committee criticised elements of the public inquiry system, such as governments failing to implement agreed inquiry recommendations. To address this, the committee proposed several reforms, including the formation of a parliamentary committee to oversee inquiries and ensure government accountability for implementing recommendations.

  • In Focus

    Local elections in England: House of Lords debate on certain elections being postponed to 2026

    The government postponed elections in nine local authority areas in England from May 2025 to May 2026 to help with planning for local government devolution and creating unitary authorities in two-tier local government areas. There has been opposition to postponing the elections from other political parties, some councils and some members of the public. The House of Lords is due to debate motions to annul the legislation that delays the elections.

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