Defence Dominates as Pensions Clash in Commons

High-Level Summary

The Commons dealt with private business and a Speaker’s reminder on House courtesies before Scotland questions. Prime Minister’s Questions focused on defence spending and the Middle East, alongside commitments on a Hillsborough law. An Urgent Question examined funding and delivery of the Strategic Defence Review. MPs then considered Lords amendments to the Pension Schemes Bill and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill with multiple divisions, approved several statutory instruments, and closed with an adjournment debate on marmalade labelling and composition.

Detailed Summary

Private business and Speaker’s statement

The Cheltenham Borough Council (Markets) Bill completed its passage: “Bill read the Third time and passed.”. Motions on the Royal Albert Hall Bill [Lords] and the City of London (Markets) Bill—either to consider or to suspend proceedings—were objected to and adjourned: “Object.”; and, for both, “The debate stood adjourned; to be resumed on Wednesday 22 April.”.

Opening proceedings, the Speaker reminded Members of courtesies ahead of local elections, including advance notice when acting in another Member’s constituency and to “treat each other with respect.”.

Oral Questions: Scotland

On child poverty, the Secretary of State said lifting the two‑child cap would “benefit 95,000 children in Scotland.”. He contrasted approaches, adding, “there are 10,000 kids in Scotland without a home to call their own.”.

On Pride in Place, Ministers emphasised local control and funding: “The Pride in Place impact fund is investing £12 million across Scotland” and “decisions will be made by local people”. Where areas were not selected, funding was targeted using “a double deprivation index” and some constituencies “simply did not qualify.”.

On energy prices, the Government listed immediate measures, including “cutting energy bills by an average of £117 per household”, and undertook to respond on ECO4 installation concerns: “I will write to the hon. Lady on exactly that matter.”. He also stated that “oil and gas will be central part of our energy mix for many years to come.”.

On cancer research, Ministers said the National Institute for Health and Care Research “works in partnership with the Scottish Government” to support UK‑wide research. On growth, they cited trade and defence: “free trade agreements with India and the EU will have huge benefits for Scottish businesses”.

On the Energy Profits Levy, the Secretary of State said the Chancellor “wants the energy profits levy to come to an end,” but recent instability required retention for now. Separately, on Mossmorran, the Government “stand ready… to invest up to £9 million” to support the site and local economy.

Prime Minister’s Questions

The Prime Minister opened by committing to a Hillsborough law: “we will deliver a Hillsborough law”, and later confirmed “the duty of candour applies to all public servants.”. Defence dominated exchanges: he said he had “committed to raising core defence spending to 3.5%” and described “the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war” amounting to “£270 billion over this Parliament”.

On the Middle East, he stated: “We are not going to get dragged into this war. It is not our war.”. He also said the UK had “negotiated an agreement on e‑gates, and we are pushing hard on that” with the EU, highlighted place‑based regeneration—“investing £5.8 billion through our Pride in Place fund”—and referred to action on welfare (“we are clearing up the mess”), unsafe e‑bikes (“giving the police new powers to take unsafe e-bikes off the roads”) and NHS recovery (“waiting lists are at their lowest for three years”).

Urgent Question: Strategic Defence Review funding

The Minister said the Government had “accepted all 62 of the review’s recommendations” and “we are not waiting on the DIP to deliver”, citing progress on new commands, procurement and exports. Pressed repeatedly on the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), he set out the spending trajectory: “We will hit 2.5% of GDP on core defence spending in April 2027; 3% in the next Parliament; and 3.5%… in 2035”, adding, “We are working flat out to deliver the DIP”.

Other points included shipbuilding and the UK‑Norway Type 26 arrangement, improving service accommodation—"£9 billion… upgrade nine in 10 defence houses"—countering disinformation (“we do not accept in any way Russian interference”) and plans for a cross‑Government “national conversation” on defence.

Ten Minute Rule Bill: Creative Arts and Culture (Broadcasting Requirements)

John Slinger proposed requiring regular culture bulletins alongside sport in broadcast news, suggesting newscasts should end: “And now for the sports, culture and weather.”. He argued, “Regular creative arts bulletins would serve that audience” and support participation and local economies. The House agreed to First Reading, with Second Reading set for Friday 5 June.

Pension Schemes Bill: Consideration of Lords amendments

The Government restated the Bill’s aim of “higher returns for pension savers”, and opposed Lords changes on local government pension scheme valuations and on extending small‑pot dormancy to 36 months, warning this would leave dormant pots incurring multiple charges for longer. On the reserve power over asset allocation, Ministers said its “only purpose” is to underpin diversification consistent with the Mansion House accord and to address a market “collective action problem”. They added that any regulations would be capped at “not… more than 10%… overall or more than 5% in the UK” and be “entirely neutral between asset classes”.

The Opposition described this as a “power grab”, arguing, “The Bill gives the Government the power to force people’s pension savings to be invested in so‑called qualifying assets” regardless of trustees’ judgments. The Commons disagreed with key Lords amendments, including: Amendment 1 (LGPS direction) (Ayes 278, Noes 158); Amendment 15 (reserve power/mandation) (Ayes 276, Noes 155); Amendment 26 (scale exemptions) (Ayes 269, Noes 162); Amendment 77 (public service pensions review) (Ayes 271, Noes 95); and Amendment 78 (PPF discharge option) (Ayes 277, Noes 150). Government amendments in lieu were made where stated. Ministers also confirmed improved PPF protection via prospective pre‑1997 indexation where schemes provided it.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Consideration of Lords message

The Government accepted Lords amendment 17B to strengthen “the right of children in care to maintain contact with their siblings”, and Lords amendment 105B to place allergy safety in schools on a statutory footing (“Benedict’s law”).

On social media protections and smartphones, Ministers preferred rapid consultation to the Lords’ approach, saying it is “a matter of how, not if” further protections will be delivered, and committed to report to Parliament within six months if no regulations are made. On phones in schools, they set strengthened guidance so schools are “mobile‑free environments by default” and said, “If the consultation tells me that making the guidance statutory will make a difference, we will do it.”. On school uniforms, Ministers resisted a statutory review but pledged to update guidance and conduct a post‑implementation review. For admissions, Government amendments in lieu aimed to ensure quality and parental choice so that “parents [have] a choice of high‑quality school places close to home.”. Divisions: the House agreed Lords 17B; disagreed Lords 38 with Government amendments in lieu (Ayes 256, Noes 150); disagreed Lords 41B (Ayes 254, Noes 144); insisted against Lords 102 with amendments in lieu (Ayes 259, Noes 136); and insisted against Lords 106 with amendments in lieu (Ayes 248, Noes 139).

Delegated Legislation

The House approved several instruments, including the Building Safety (Responsible Actors Scheme and Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and the Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2026. A Division on the Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) Regulations 2026 was deferred to Wednesday 22 April.

Adjournment: Regulation of the marmalade market

Tessa Munt raised concerns about composition, labelling and definition, stressing the long‑standing 60% sugar threshold: “for marmalade it is 60% or more.”, and suggested refractometer testing and restricting “marmalade” to citrus‑based products. The Minister reassured that “absolutely nothing will be changing about the composition of marmalade” and “there is no requirement… to change an orange marmalade label to a citrus marmalade label”, restated UK rules on citrus and soluble solids—“set at a minimum level of 60%"—invited any evidence of mislabelling to trading standards, and said the UK will align with some EU rules under the SPS agreement without altering UK marmalade standards.

Publication of earlier divisions on the Crime and Policing Bill (held on 14 April)

The House record published results of divisions from 14 April on Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, including disagreements to amendments on fly‑tipping enforcement (e.g. Lords 6: Ayes 299, Noes 169), vehicle seizure for fly‑tipping (Lords 11: Ayes 291, Noes 174), and other provisions.