Peers Probe Policing Reforms as Warm Homes Plan Unveiled

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords continued Committee stage scrutiny of the Crime and Policing Bill (13th day) and heard a wide‑ranging Statement on the Government’s Warm Homes Plan. Peers debated police welfare data, force enforcement statistics and bureaucracy, and sensitive recording practices (sex and ethnicity), with Ministers promising consultation or future legislation and most amendments withdrawn. Further debates covered non‑violent extremism transparency, youth diversion orders, terrorism offences and proscription procedures; again, the Government resisted changes at this stage. Oral questions ranged across family hubs, children and migration policy, support for hospitality, and online safety for bereaved parents, and the House agreed significant Select Committee membership changes and secondary legislation. Two new Members were introduced, and condolences were offered on the death of Lord Flight.

Detailed Summary

Introductions: Baroness Martin of Brockley; Baroness Nargund

Baroness Martin of Brockley made the solemn affirmation and signed the Code of Conduct undertaking; Baroness Nargund took the oath and signed the undertaking.

Crime and Policing Bill – Police suicide reporting (Amendment 435 and related)

Lord Hogan‑Howe highlighted inconsistent data and the need to identify risks, saying the Police Federation “is struggling to establish the facts. The difficulty is that it cannot get hold of the data”. The Minister said Government is strengthening collection and that the Policing Minister is considering mandating it, including “the potential for legislation”, with a stakeholder roundtable to examine options. Lord Hogan‑Howe withdrew the amendment.

Crime and Policing Bill – Police enforcement data and review of paperwork (Amendments 436–437)

Baroness Neville‑Rolfe sought force‑level enforcement statistics for common offences and a review to reduce paperwork, citing disclosure burdens and IT gaps. Ministers pointed to a new police performance framework and that “the Home Office will this year introduce an initial sector‑facing police performance dashboard”, and to White Paper plans to reduce bureaucracy, including work on disclosure and redaction. Amendment 436 was withdrawn and Amendment 437 not moved.

Crime and Policing Bill – Recording biological sex in police data (Amendment 438B/438EF)

Baroness Cash argued that “Sex is a foundational principle in crime” and consistent recording improves safeguarding and analysis. Critics questioned practicality and proportionality at arrest. The Minister said Government is “carefully considering the implications of the Supreme Court ruling that clarified the definition of sex in the Equality Act” within wider data reforms. The amendment was withdrawn.

Crime and Policing Bill – Recording ethnicity in police data (Amendment 438C)

Baroness Cash proposed a statutory duty to record police‑observed and self‑declared ethnicity using Census categories, citing gaps that impede accountability. The Minister confirmed plans to legislate to mandate suspect ethnicity data collection as part of police reform, stating “we will be legislating to mandate the collection of ethnicity data”. The amendment was withdrawn.

Announcement: Death of a Member

The Lord Speaker informed the House of the death of Lord Flight on 24 January 2026 and offered condolences to his family and friends.

Oral Questions: Best Start Family Hubs

Ministers said Government is investing “over £500 million” to rebuild early years services, and Best Start Family Hubs will support families from conception through the early years. Hubs will be “open to all families with children aged nought to 19 and up to 25 for young people with SEND” and locally driven.

Oral Questions: Asylum and Immigration – Children

On recent migration proposals, Ministers said child impact assessments will be conducted during policy development in line with statute and the UNCRC. On missing unaccompanied children, the Minister said “more than 472 children went missing… about 428 children have now been found… still leaves some 50 to 60”.

Oral Questions: Hospitality Businesses

The Government announced that “every pub and live music venue will receive 50% off their new business rates… and bills will be frozen for two years”. Peers raised hotels’ rising rates and staffing; Ministers said they are engaging with sectors while balancing support with fiscal responsibility.

Oral Questions: TikTok and bereaved parents

Ministers outlined powers commenced under the Online Safety Act to require information about a child’s online activity and a data preservation process: “We have commenced powers… to require information… We have also established a data preservation process”. A short consultation on further measures, including design features, will conclude “before the summer”.

Committee appointments and secondary legislation

The House agreed extensive membership changes across Select Committees and established new special inquiry committees, and approved regulations applying PACE powers to immigration and designated customs officers in Northern Ireland.

Crime and Policing Bill – Public Sector Equality Duty (Amendment 438D)

Peers debated exempting the police from the Equality Act duty during law enforcement. Opponents stressed the duty’s role in fairness and trust, noting it requires public authorities to “eliminate discrimination” and “foster good relations”. The amendment was withdrawn.

Crime and Policing Bill – Non‑violent extremism, transparency and governance (Amendments 438E, 438EA, 454A, 454B, 438F)

Lord Goodman proposed force‑level reporting on non‑violent extremism, disclosure of meetings with faith leaders, publication of the Government’s rapid analytical sprint, appointment of a counter‑extremism commissioner, and extending youth diversion orders. Ministers cautioned against adding burdens or compromising sensitive engagement, said the youth diversion order is not a counter‑extremism tool, and noted an ongoing review of arm’s‑length bodies: “We are currently reviewing the roles and remits of various bodies”. Amendment 438E was withdrawn.

Crime and Policing Bill – Commemorative emblem for police injured in service (Amendment 438EB)

Baroness Doocey proposed reporting on an emblem for officers injured on duty. Ministers expressed sympathy but said medals “are a gift from the Government on behalf of the monarch” and should not be created by legislation; the idea is under consideration. The amendment was withdrawn.

Crime and Policing Bill – Child deaths: online evidence and preservation (Amendments 438ED, 438EE, 474, 475)

Baroness Kidron argued current processes are failing and called for protocols to prioritise online harm and automatic data preservation after child deaths, saying, “we have a law, but it is not working”. Ministers referenced Chief Coroner and Ofcom guidance and said that since 30 September Ofcom has issued “at least 12 data preservation notices”, offering to meet to consider improvements while cautioning against over‑prescriptive primary legislation. The amendments were withdrawn, with a commitment to revisit on Report if needed.

Crime and Policing Bill – Youth Diversion Orders: technical changes and ‘British values’

Government technical amendments aligning ancillary offence drafting and time‑limit provisions were agreed. A proposal to mandate citizenship education on British values for respondents was discussed; Ministers preferred flexibility, noting a youth diversion order may “require the respondent to do anything described in the order” and can include supportive interventions where necessary. The values amendments were not moved.

Crime and Policing Bill – Inspection of online accounts in orders (Amendments 441–444, 452)

Peers agreed provisions allowing youth diversion orders to include inspection of an “online account accessed by means of a device”, defining inspection and extraction of information. Equivalent inspection powers were also added for TPIM‑type measures under terrorism and national security legislation.

Crime and Policing Bill – Terrorism: intent and glorification (Amendments 447, 448, 450)

Ministers opposed adding an intent requirement to ‘support for terrorism’ offences, warning it would make them “largely unusable in practice”. On tightening the ‘glorification’ offence, the Government cited the independent reviewer’s conclusion of no legislative gap and cautioned about free expression risks. The amendments were withdrawn or not moved.

Warm Homes Plan – Statement

The Government announced a £15 billion plan to cut bills and tackle fuel poverty, including abolishing ECO in favour of public investment, minimum energy efficiency standards for private rentals by 2030, expanded heat pump support and “up to £2 billion” for subsidised low/zero‑interest loans for rooftop solar and batteries. A new Warm Homes Agency will consolidate delivery and guidance. In debate, Ministers said overall energy‑efficiency commitments are about “two and a half times” those of the previous Administration, and addressed concerns on operating costs and ethical supply chains.

Crime and Policing Bill – Proscription scrutiny and ‘bundling’ of orders (Amendments 449, 454)

Viscount Hailsham sought ISC scrutiny before proscription orders. Ministers said the Security Minister “has written to the Intelligence and Security Committee” and will brief it ahead of future orders, including privileged briefings if requested. On limiting each order to a single organisation, Ministers argued grouping aids speed and that each organisation included had met the statutory threshold. Both amendments were withdrawn.

Crime and Policing Bill – Review amendment on terrorism‑related classification (Amendment 453)

An amendment seeking a review of raising the threshold for classifying offences as terrorism‑related under the 2021 Act was withdrawn, given the ongoing review by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven.

Crime and Policing Bill – Undersea cable sabotage penalties (Amendment 454C)

Baroness Neville‑Rolfe proposed raising penalties under the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885 for sabotaging undersea cables. Ministers agreed in principle—having “formally committed to increasing penalties”—but declined a piecemeal change pending wider consultation with maritime sectors. The amendment was withdrawn.