Latest edition: 10-14 February 2025
Westminster is always buzzing with political drama and rumours, but whatever the daily gossip or latest crisis, law-making and parliamentary scrutiny carries on regardless. That’s why it’s crucial to stay informed about what’s happening in Parliament each week. The Parliament Matters Bulletin is our weekly analysis of what’s coming up in the House of Commons and House of Lords, as a complement to our weekly Parliament Matters Podcast.
MPs will debate the Government’s new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill for the first time, as well as two bills that have faced multiple defeats in the House of Lords: the Water (Special Measures) Bill and the Data (Use and Access) Bill. MPs will begin their clause-by-clause scrutiny of the assisted dying bill in Committee. Peers will continue consideration of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill and the Great British Energy Bill. Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff, will be introduced in the House of Lords. The Welsh First Minister will appear before the Welsh Affairs Committee, and the Treasury Committee will hold a special evidence session in Darlington.
MPs will debate legislation expanding Government powers to investigate and recover assets from public sector or social security fraud. The Commons will vote on motions to uprate benefits and pensions, and allocate police and local government grants. In the Lords, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, Renters’ Rights Bill, and Data (Use and Access) Bill will progress. Commons backbench debates will cover support for coalfield communities and financial education. Select committees will examine party funding and election interference, AI and copyright, cladding, and education reform.
MPs begin questioning experts about the assisted dying bill over three days this week. In the Commons there are debates on proportional representation, creative industries, and Post Office closures. MPs will consider water company regulations and motions about the requirements for an Office of Budget Responsibility assessment and a breach of the annual cap on welfare spending. Peers continue scrutinising the Data (Use and Access) Bill and Mental Health Bill. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will be questioned about progress on Net Zero by the Environmental Audit Committee.
The projected costs of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will be considered by MPs, and the Public Bill Committee examining the Bill will meet to decide its schedule of work. Backbench debates focus on the impact of food and diet on obesity; financial education; and Holocaust Memorial Day. MPs will consider the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill and the Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill. Peers will consider amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill. The Home Affairs Committee will hear from Professor Alexis Jay, chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
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Presented by Mark D’Arcy, former BBC parliamentary correspondent, and our Director, Ruth Fox, you can listen to our weekly podcast by subscribing via your favourite app.
In this fourth instalment of our special mini-podcast series, we take you inside the Public Bill Committee as it scrutinises the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - a landmark proposal seeking to legalise assisted dying. The Committee is in full swing, debating amendments, and tensions are running high. We sit down with Sarah Olney MP, a key player in the discussions, to unpack the latest developments.
In this episode we dissect the fallout from Labour’s WhatsApp purge following the Andrew Gwynne affair and what it means for political communication at Westminster. We also explore the latest news from the House of Commons Modernisation Committee, discussing its focus on improving accessibility to Parliament, legislative scrutiny, and the debate over MPs holding second jobs.
The assisted dying bill (Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill) is now at the Committee stage, where a Public Bill Committee reviews the bill clause by clause. This briefing outlines the Committee’s role, how MPs propose changes to the bill and where these are published, how the Chair selects and groups amendments, and how these are debated and voted on.
The assisted dying bill is about to undergo detailed scrutiny by the Public Bill Committee - a group of 23 MPs tasked with reviewing the Bill’s text and proposing amendments to refine and improve it. But what exactly happens during this amendment process? Former House of Commons Clerk, Paul Evans CBE, breaks it down. Plus, we hear from Dr Ben Spencer MP, a former consultant psychiatrist turned parliamentarian, who has proposed dozens of amendments to the Bill.
Stay informed with updates and analysis on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it moves through Parliament. Learn about the debates, procedures, decisions, and key milestones shaping the assisted dying legislation.
