Week beginning 9 February 2015

Whats Coming Up

Quote of the Week

Monday: Lord Strasburger will be asking the Government what plans they have
to mitigate the misuse of fixed-odds betting terminals in betting shops. The Lib
Dems have previously introduced measures that force betting shops to apply for
planning permission so that councils can control the number of betting shops in
their local community.

The Conservative limb of the

coalition was anxious to proceed
with these proposals but were
being prevented from doing so only
by the pesky Lib Dems

Baroness Kramer will take the Infrastructure Bill through Ping Pong as it returns
to the Lords from the Commons.
___________________________________________

Former Tory Party leader Lord

Howard goes all Scooby Doo whilst
attempting to pass draconian
security powers.

Tuesday: The Recall of MPs Bill will be led through Report Stage by Government
Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office in the Lords by Lib Dem Peer Lord

Wallace of Saltaire. Lord Tyler has been leading for the Lib Dems on the Bill,
which will allow people to hold their MP to account if they commit wrongdoing.
___________________________________________

Tweet of the Week

Wednesday: Baroness Bakewell will ask a question on the effect of local

enterprise partnerships on the economy and key skills in their local areas. Local
Enterprise Partnerships (LEPS) are partnerships between local authorities and
businesses, each with an enterprise zone that can take advantages of tax
incentives and simplified local planning regulations. There are currently 39 LEPs
across England and Wales.
Lord Storey will ask a question about what plans the Government has
to allow pupils to register to vote in schools, sixth form and further
education colleges. As part of National Voter Registration Day last
Thursday many schools and colleges worked to promote voter
registration amongst pupils. The University of East Anglia ran a Goats
for Votes day, using animals to entice young people over to register to vote.
The Deregulation Bill will continue its Report Stage led by Lib Dem Lord Wallace
of Saltaire. Lib Dem Minister for Communities and Local Government, Stephen
Williams MP, has announced a series of Government amendments that will
make retaliatory evictions a criminal offence. These amendments will be
debated at this stage of the Bill.
Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather has previously put forward a Private Members Bill
that sought to outlaw the practice and her efforts in the Commons have played
in a key role in ensuring that the Government takes action. After her Bill was
filibustered in the Commons by right- wing Conservative MPs, Baroness
Bakewell and other Lib Dem peers tabled amendments to the Deregulation Bill

Dave Goddard (@davegoddardsk2)

highlights the ease and importance
of voting. It takes 5 minutes at
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Next weeks bills

Counter-Terrorism & Security Bill
Third Reading

Infrastructure Bill
Ping Pong

Recall of MPs Bill

to revive the proposals.

___________________________________________
Lord Clement-Jones will be asking the impact of the Anti-social
Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the control of busking.
Tim has been a long standing campaigner for the rights for buskers to
entertain the public without fear of arrest. Last year Tim attended a
Busking Roundtable organised by the Mayor of Londons office which
drew together a number of London local authorities and busking campaigners to
discuss the best possible solution for London and Londoners.

Report stage

Deregulation Bill
Report Stage

Stamp Duty Land Tax Bill

The Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill will received its Second Reading and is likely to
lead to women, at long last, sitting on the Bench of Bishops.

Full schedule here

Lib Dem Lords

in Government
Lord Newby answered questions from the Lords on Credit Unions. He highlighted the work being done by the
Coalition Government in this area promoting the fact that increased collaboration is vital if the sector is to
become more competitive and grow. He stated that: The Credit Union Expansion Project, which the DWP is
funding to the tune of 38 million, is aimed at doing exactly that by providing shared back-office services to
cut costs. He also stressed that work to ensure that there is access to finance for people on more modest
incomes. Including the development in recent weeks which has seen agreement with the banks on fee-free
basic bank accounts, which will be a good improvement for many people who are currently denied even the
most basic bank accounts.
___________________________________________
Baroness Northover highlighted recent successes in the fight against Ebola, telling the Lords: the United
Kingdom is leading the international response to the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. It is clear that this strategy is
working. There are signs that the infection rate is falling in Sierra Leone. This is real progress and a cause for
cautious optimism that we can beat this disease. We remain focused on defeating the outbreak completely.
Baroness Northover and Baroness Randerson alongside Lib Dem Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone,
visited young people in Cardiff working with Bawso, a leading Welsh charity campaigning to end FGM.
Lindsay Northover highlighted that: the UK Government has
worked tirelessly in recent years bring this issue to the
forefront of international attention. We now need more
community groups to follow Cardiffs lead and kick-start
campaigns to end this practice in Africa within a generation.
Friday February 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance for
FGM.
FGM is one of the most extreme manifestations of gender inequality, affecting 125 million girls and women
across the world. It is violence against women and girls, a human rights violation that can result in a life time
of physical, psychological and emotional suffering.

___________________________________________
Baroness Randerson has received recognition for her services to interfaith
relations. She will receive the Achievement Award 2015 from the Muslim
Council of Wales. The Muslim community has stated that it is very indebted to
the Minister for the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm she has shown
over the years and value her contribution to interfaith harmony.
___________________________________________
Lord Wallace of Saltaire promoted the work of Bite the Ballots National Voter Registration Day on Thursday
5 February raising awareness of the importance and ease of registering to vote.

Last Weeks Business

Lib Dems Force Snoopers Charter Withdrawal

Lib Dems in the House of Lords have, once more, successfully blocked the Snoopers Charter in the Lords.
An amendment to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill was withdrawn following pressure from Lib Dem Peers
who have raised arguments against the proposed legislation throughout the Bills passage through the Lords
The amendment, led by the Conservative Peer Lord King, would have seen a copycat of the previously blocked Data
Communications Bill introduced into the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill currently going through Parliament.
Lib Dem Peer and Former MET Police Officer Lord Paddick says: Nick Clegg fought off the discredited Data
Communications Bill in government and Liberal Democrats led the charge to defeat this cynical attempt to
reintroduce the so-called "snoopers charter" in the Lords. We will continue to block attempts to reintroduce these
provisions in any form to defend the civil liberties and privacy of innocent people across the UK.

Lib Dems Succeed in Getting Retaliatory Eviction Amendment in the Lords

Lib Dem Minister for Communities and Local Government, Stephen Williams MP, has announced a series of
Government amendments to the Deregulation Bill that will make retaliatory evictions a criminal offence.
Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather has previously put forward a Private Members Bill that sought to outlaw the practice and
her efforts in the Commons have played in a key role in ensuring that the Government takes action.
Baroness Bakewell, who had previously put down a Lib Dem Retaliatory Eviction amendment to the Deregulation
Bill, said: I am very pleased that we have been able to persuade the Government to support Sarah Teathers efforts
to end this pointless suffering. Retaliatory evictions have effected far too many people for far too long.
Huge credit must go to Stephen Williams who has worked tirelessly within Government to ensure that tenants now
receive this vital protection from absent unscrupulous landlords.
I am proud the Lib Dems have made a stand on this issue, after Sarahs Private Members Bill was needlessly
scuppered by right wing Conservative MPs in the Commons.

The amendments are expected to be debated next Wednesday.

National Voter Registration Day

Lord Roberts, President of Bite the Ballot, called for unregistered voters to get their names on the electoral register
ahead of the election as part of National Voter Registration Day last Thursday. Speaking in the Lords he said: I hope
that this House will be enthusiastic about enrolling young people and giving support to all these voluntary
organisations and to the youngsters who work day and night to try to get as many young people as possible
registered. I hope that we will give them support, and with great enthusiasm. We thank those organisationsI am
proud to be president of one of themfor all that they have done. They have earned their spurs at this moment.

On the blog this week:

o

Jenny Randersons Work Is Recognised By Welsh Muslim Council

Tony Greaves: The Grass Isnt Always Greener In East Lancashire

Lindsay Northover: Supporting African Leadership

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