Lords Launch Retirement Review, Advance Victims' Justice and Workers' Rights

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords held oral questions on free school meals funding, large‑site asylum accommodation, the Women’s Health Strategy, and the Government’s homelessness plan. It agreed, without division, to set up a time‑limited Select Committee on a Lords retirement age and participation requirement, and approved three statutory instruments. Ministers were also questioned on the United States’ national security strategy and NHS winter preparedness. The House concluded ping‑pong on the Employment Rights Bill after an amendment was withdrawn, and gave the Victims and Courts Bill a Second Reading before committing it to Grand Committee.

Detailed Summary

Free School Meals – Oral Question

Baroness Boycott asked how the Government would ensure schools in deprived areas were not diverting core budgets to cover free school meals. Baroness Smith of Malvern said the Government “already spend £1.5 billion annually” and had “set aside a further £1 billion over the multi‑year spending review period” to expand entitlement to all households on universal credit from September 2026, benefiting “more than 500,000 disadvantaged children” [ref: a643.2/1]. She added funding is via the national funding formula and it was “right to prioritise additional funding on broadening the entitlement rather than on funding caterers” [ref: a643.4/1].

Peers raised in‑house catering, regional differences and schools topping up costs. The Minister said procurement choices rest with schools but advice is available [ref: a645.3/1], and she would “investigate whether it is possible to provide” figures on schools using teaching budgets to top up meal costs [ref: a644.3/1]. On comparisons with Wales and Scotland, she noted, “It is the nature of devolution that different Governments make different decisions” [ref: a644.5/1]. No decisions were taken; the Minister undertook to examine data availability and continue guidance to schools.

Asylum Accommodation – Oral Question

Lord German asked how lessons from Napier Barracks and RAF Wethersfield would be applied to new large‑scale asylum accommodation sites. Lord Hanson of Flint said “lessons have been learned … and are now being implemented” and that value‑for‑money assessments had improved since 2024 [ref: a646.5/1]. He confirmed the intention to “ensure that interviews take place on‑site” to reduce costs and disruption [ref: a646.7/1].

Peers queried the potential use of specific barracks. The Minister said Cameron barracks was under due diligence and “no final decisions have been taken” [ref: a647.1/1], and that Crowborough barracks was also being examined with “no final decision” yet [ref: a647.3/1]. He contrasted current policy with the previous Government’s “Bibby Stockholm”, which this Government scrapped over standards concerns [ref: a648.0/1]. Commitments included on‑site interviews and thorough due diligence; no site decisions were announced.

Women’s Health Strategy – Oral Question

Baroness Merron said the renewed strategy would ensure “women’s health will never be neglected again,” reflect on delivery since 2022 and sit within the 10‑year health plan [ref: a648.3/1]. On women’s health hubs, she said the pilot “target was met” for a hub in every integrated care board and that hubs improve access and experience [ref: a648.5/1].

Peers pressed on gynaecology waits, screening and osteoporosis. The Minister said waits are “far too long: it is unacceptable,” and emphasised moving care into the community [ref: a649.1/1]. She urged, “Don’t not put up with it,” to challenge normalisation of women’s pain [ref: a649.3/1], reaffirmed the aim of “eliminating cervical cancer by 2040” and the roll‑out of home testing kits to increase screening [ref: a650.0/1], confirmed a commitment to fracture liaison services nationwide by 2030 [ref: a650.2/1], and called FGM “abhorrent” and “illegal,” promising cross‑government action [ref: a650.4/1]. No decisions were taken.

National Plan to End Homelessness – Oral Question

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the Government had launched a “£3.5 billion national plan to end homelessness,” with over £3 billion for local government and prevention “at its core,” aiming to end the tension between prevention and temporary accommodation costs [ref: a651.2/1].

Peers raised temporary accommodation pressures, refugees’ move‑on, funding formulas, youth homelessness and empty homes. The Minister said the Government is working across departments on sustainable funding, with a multi‑year finance settlement to be announced, and that the Home Office will share data with councils “within two days” of asylum support ending to aid early intervention [ref: a651.4/1, a652.1/1]. She said “every council will publish a tailored action plan” feeding into a national picture, and indicated funding formulas would aim to direct money to need [ref: a653.0/1]. On empty properties, she highlighted councils’ powers and plans to strengthen the management of long‑term empties [ref: a653.4/1]. No votes were taken.

Retirement and Participation Committee – Membership Motion

Baroness Smith of Basildon moved to appoint a Select Committee to consider a retirement age and a participation requirement for members of the House of Lords, including non‑legislative options and transitional measures, reporting by 31 July 2026. She said, “I propose that a Select Committee be set up to make recommendations on retirement and participation,” stressing it would be “time‑limited” and would examine impacts on the House’s size and functioning [ref: a654.2/2, a654.2/3]. Lord True confirmed cross‑party agreement [ref: a655.0/1], and the Motion was agreed without division: “Motion agreed” [ref: a655.1/2].

Statutory Instruments – Motions to Approve

The House approved three sets of regulations without division: the Heat Networks (Market Framework) (Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (“Motions agreed.”) [ref: a655.3/4]; the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (“Motion agreed.”) [ref: a655.5/4]; and the Building Safety Regulator (Establishment of New Body and Transfer of Functions etc.) Regulations 2026 (“Motion agreed.”) [ref: a656.1/4].

US National Security Strategy – Commons Urgent Question (Answer repeated in the Lords)

Baroness Chapman of Darlington said the Government’s “ambition is to spend 3% of GDP on defence and 5% on security by 2035,” and restated the China approach as “compete, co‑operate and challenge as appropriate” [ref: a657.1/1]. She said UK‑EU relations had been “reset” and the UK should act as a “bridge between the EU and the United States” [ref: a658.0/2].

Peers raised US congressional action, Russia, defence capabilities and Hong Kong. Baroness Chapman said it was important to focus on practical co‑operation and confirmed closeness with the US on Ukraine: “We will continue to work incredibly closely alongside them to bring about the peace that we all want to see” [ref: a659.0/1]. She added that “Jimmy Lai ought to be freed, and freed immediately” and that the Government would take diplomatic steps to reinforce that message [ref: a660.1/1]. No decisions were taken.

NHS: Winter Preparedness – Commons Urgent Question (Answer repeated in the Lords)

Following reports of heightened flu pressures and impending industrial action, Baroness Merron said the NHS had “delivered over 17 million flu vaccines” and that “60,000 more NHS staff have been vaccinated this year than last year,” alongside communications targeted at lower‑uptake groups [ref: a661.1/1].

Peers asked about RSV protection, staff vaccination rates and ventilation. The Minister highlighted the maternal RSV programme and said services are encouraging early vaccination discussions with pregnant women [ref: a661.3/1]. On staff uptake, she said the focus is on making vaccination easy and said the Government is considering options to expand eligibility to the over‑80s and older adult care residents [ref: a662.1/1]. She noted broader vaccine hesitancy and reiterated, “Our job … is to make it easy and possible to get vaccinations” [ref: a663.0/1]. She undertook to write with further detail on ventilation [ref: a663.4/1]. No votes were held.

Employment Rights Bill – Commons Reason (Ping‑Pong)

Baroness Lloyd of Effra urged acceptance of Commons amendments reflecting a tripartite deal with business and unions: reducing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal to six months and removing the compensation cap, with a commitment to publish an enactment impact assessment before commencement [ref: a664.0/7]. She cited a joint business letter stating that “now is the time for Parliament to pass the Bill” [ref: a664.0/11, a664.0/12].

Lord Sharpe of Epsom disputed that total removal of the cap formed part of the agreement and proposed Amendment A1 to retain and review the monetary cap, warning of tribunal backlogs—“There are now over 515,000 open cases” [ref: a667.0/9]. Lord Pannick and others pointed to business groups’ call to pass the Bill now [ref: a669.0/2, a671.0/5]. Following debate, Lord Sharpe withdrew his amendment—“Motion A1 withdrawn”—and the Commons Reason was agreed—“Motion A agreed” [ref: a673.4/6, a673.4/7]. Next steps include publication of the enactment impact assessment and stakeholder meetings before commencement [ref: a664.0/7, a672.0/6].

Victims and Courts Bill – Second Reading

Baroness Levitt introduced measures to strengthen victims’ rights and court processes. Key provisions include compelling attendance at sentencing with proportionate use of force and sanctions—“This Government are clear: victims’ and their families’ voices matter” [ref: a674.2/5]; automatic restrictions on parental responsibility for certain child sex offences and rape‑conception cases [ref: a674.2/6–a674.2/8]; and ensuring NDAs cannot be used to silence victims of criminal conduct [ref: a674.2/9]. The Bill also boosts the Victims’ Commissioner’s powers [ref: a674.2/13], widens the victim contact scheme, enables suitably qualified CILEX lawyers to serve as Crown prosecutors [ref: a674.2/22–a674.2/23], provides for setting cost recovery rates in private prosecutions [ref: a674.2/27–a674.2/28], and gives the Attorney‑General 14 extra days to consider unduly lenient sentence referrals lodged late in the 28‑day window [ref: a674.2/29].

Peers broadly supported the aims but raised issues including safe enforcement of attendance, the proposed four‑year threshold for parental responsibility restrictions, access to free sentencing transcripts, sustainable funding for specialist victim support, safeguards around private prosecutions, and addressing court backlogs. Concluding, the Minister said the Bill “continues the journey of putting [victims] … at the heart of the justice system” [ref: a716.7/10]. Outcome: “Bill read a second time” and committed to Grand Committee with an agreed order of consideration [refs: a716.7/11, a718.1/2–a718.1/4].