Clear the Lobby: The week ahead in Parliament

It’s a quiet week for new legislation after Friday’s bumper set of private member’s bills. MPs are voting on a new law to protect social housing tenants who are victims of domestic abuse, as well as issues surrounding the lack of government in Northern Ireland.

Monday 19 March

Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill – 2nd reading

Applies to: England and Wales

Ensures that social housing tenants with a lifetime lease who need to leave their home due to domestic abuse are granted a new lifetime tenancy in the property they move to. This creates an exception to rules in the Housing and Planning Act 2016, which will require local authorities in England to offer only fixed-term tenancies when they come into force. The bill started in the Lords, so it’s closer to becoming law than if it started in the Commons. It’s also backed by the government, so likely to get passed.

Read the latest draft bill here.

Northern Ireland Budget (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill – all stages

Applies to: Northern Ireland

Authorises the Northern Ireland budget announced last week. Usually this would be done by the local government in Belfast, but it collapsed in January 2017 and the leading parties haven’t managed to negotiate a new one, so Westminster is stepping in. The settlement includes £410m of the £1bn negotiated by the DUP at the last election in return for backing the Conservatives.

Wednesday 21 March

Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill – all stages

Applies to: Northern Ireland

Introduces measures to deal with the fallout from Northern Ireland’s ongoing lack of government.

Thursday 22 March

No debates scheduled.

Friday 23 March

No debates scheduled.

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