Lords Spotlight Victims Bill as Record Onshore Wind, Solar

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords took oral questions on implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, delivering 1.5 million new homes, the transition to electric vehicles, and smart motorways. It agreed several formal motions (including appointments, statutory instruments and Report/Committee scheduling) and questioned Ministers on the Ministry of Defence’s Palantir contract and court reporting data practices following Commons Urgent Questions. Peers then spent most of the sitting in Committee on the Victims and Courts Bill, probing victims’ contact scheme eligibility, the Victims’ Commissioner’s remit, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutor qualifications, private prosecution costs, digital evidence and admissibility of creative expression, victims’ rights to review, and unduly lenient sentences; most amendments were withdrawn after ministerial explanations or offers to consult/meet. A ministerial statement reported record AR7 auction outcomes for onshore wind and solar and launched the Local Power Plan, with up to £1 billion for community energy via Great British Energy.

Detailed Summary

Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Implementation (Oral Question)

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said phase 1 would start in May, with guidance already published and a communications campaign underway, alongside funding: “we have already published guidance for landlords and local councils”; “We have also allocated £18.2 million in new burdens funding to local councils in 2025-26”. Lord Jamieson raised concerns about landlord exits: “landlords are voting with their feet, exiting the market in ever higher numbers”. On potential First-tier Tribunal (FTT) pressures from rent challenges, the Minister said capacity was being increased and that “there is a case for the use of an alternative body or mechanism to make initial rent determinations” to ease demand on the FTT. She listed tenant protections, including: “We have banned rental bidding”; “they cannot discriminate against the prospective renter because they are on benefits or have children”; and “rent increases will be limited to once a year at market rate” with FTT challenge rights. On enforcement readiness, she cited new burdens funding, Operation Jigsaw training and published guidance: “We have also funded the Operation Jigsaw network to deliver bespoke training on the Act”. On energy standards, she confirmed new PRS regulations: meet EPC C by 1 October 2030, with a £10,000 cap and 10‑year exemptions.

New Homes Target (Oral Question)

Baroness Taylor said “an estimated 309,600 net additional homes have been built in this Parliament” and highlighted reforms and investment to push further. On nutrient neutrality, she said new measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Act would protect the environment while enabling housebuilding, with a nature restoration fund to assist delivery. She stressed partnership with councils: “we see our partnership with local authorities as critical” and said capacity has been supported. She promised publication of the national housing strategy in the first quarter: “We will be publishing that in the first quarter of this year”. On social and affordable homes, she said “60% of that will be social housing” within the £39 billion programme, and set an ambition to “deliver around 300,000 homes with at least 60% social rent”. She pointed to early “green shoots” with “a 29% increase in housing starts compared with 2024” and expected a ramp‑up later in the Parliament. She also referenced support for first‑time buyers, including work on “a new ISA” and noting recent “very low-start mortgage packages”.

Electric Vehicles: Transition (Oral Question)

Baroness Blake of Leeds said the UK is “a global leader” with “the largest EV market share of any major European economy in 2025”, and “We are investing £7.5 billion over the next decade to help drivers to make the switch”. She confirmed the ZEV mandate review “will commence later this year and will be published in 2027” to maintain certainty. On rural issues and prospective road pricing, she emphasised fairness: “It is essential that we move forward with coming up with a fair system”. Decisions on VAT for public charging rest with the Treasury. On industry and supply chains, she stressed certainty for UK manufacturers and noted engagement “with China” following the PM’s visit. On infrastructure, she said there are “88,000 public charge points in the UK and 920,000 domestic” and that “all motorway service stations have them,” with funding to improve rapid coverage.

Smart Motorways: Safety and Value for Money (Oral Question)

Baroness Blake said National Highways reports show smart motorways are “meeting or exceeding safety objectives in all but one upgrade,” with “some £900 million” invested to improve safety and driver education. She assured peers that “no more smart motorways will be installed”. She contrasted casualties in 2023 on motorways versus A-roads—“793… on the motorways… compared with 1,120 on A-roads”—and said current road deaths are unacceptable. On potholes, she said central government does not hold detailed counts but has increased local roads funding.

House of Lords Commissioners for Standards – Membership Motion

Lord Kakkar moved the appointment of Dame Anne Rafferty as a Commissioner for Standards for five years and the extension of Martin Jelley’s term to 30 June 2029, noting that “the last five years have demonstrated the benefits of this model” of two commissioners. The Motion was agreed.

Statutory Instruments and Business Motions

The House approved the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Prescription of Non‑Domestic Rating Multipliers) (England) Regulations 2026 and the Social Security Benefits Up‑rating Order 2026. Orders of consideration were agreed for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill [HL] and the Crime and Policing Bill. The Rare Cancers Bill’s order of commitment was discharged after no amendments were tabled; Northern Ireland legislative consent had been granted.

Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts (Commons Urgent Question – Lords exchanges)

Peers questioned the MoD’s direct award to Palantir and issues raised by a Washington meeting involving the Prime Minister and Lord Mandelson. The Government cited the 2022 enterprise agreement and a new enterprise agreement published “in a transparency note in December last year,” with a strategic partnership including “£1.5 billion investment into the UK” and London as Palantir’s European defence HQ. Lord Coaker said “many contracts in the MOD are rightly let on a single-source basis” and stressed data sovereignty: “UK defence data… remains sovereign and under the control of the MoD. It resides in the United Kingdom”. On the Washington meeting, he said: “No minutes were taken of that meeting,” describing it as a routine visit. He promised to write on Anduril contracts, highlighted UK SME commitments, and reiterated propriety: “everything was done properly… The decision… was made by the Defence Secretary alone”.

Court Reporting Data (Commons Urgent Question – Lords exchanges)

Following a Commons statement that Courtsdesk had been “sharing private, personal and legally sensitive information with a third-party AI company” in breach of an agreement, Baroness Levitt said Courtsdesk shared data “without asking or even telling the Ministry of Justice,” so “we stopped sending copies of the data… and required it to remove the copies it still had”. She said journalists can still access information via HMCTS—“just a slightly more complicated method”—and that broader licensing would be pursued: “we are in the process of looking at new licensing agreements… Anybody who can reassure us… will probably get that licence”. She dismissed Courtsdesk’s rebuttal—“they would say that, wouldn’t they?”—and noted a criminal court listing service will be added to CaTH in March.

Victims and Courts Bill – Committee (Day 2)

Victims’ contact scheme and helpline: Lord Sandhurst sought broader eligibility and helpline access. Baroness Levitt explained the three‑part model: “Part 1 ensures that the most serious cases… can receive proactive support”; “Part 2 ensures support for victims of stalking and harassment offences”; and “Part 3 ensures that victims… will be able to get information through the helpline”. She said the contact scheme and helpline apply only where there is custody, and confirmed an existing senior probation review route.

Victims’ Commissioner remit: Amendments to support individuals who assist victims and to allow case‑by‑case interventions were resisted. Lord Pannick cautioned that this “would expand the role… very substantially indeed”. Baroness Levitt said it would “dilute the fundamental purpose of the Victims’ Commissioner” and that the office “is not a complaints body”. Amendments were withdrawn and Clause 8 was agreed.

CPS prosecutor qualifications (Clause 11): Concerns about allowing CILEX practitioners to prosecute were countered by peers stressing competence over title. Lord Pannick said “not every criminal prosecution requires presentation by a barrister or a solicitor”. Baroness Levitt said the clause removes an “unnecessary legal requirement,” with only authorised and regulated professionals able to conduct reserved activities: “It is a criminal offence… to carry out reserved legal activities unless entitled”. Clause 11 was agreed.

Private prosecutions costs (Clause 12): Lord Sandhurst opposed regulation‑making powers to set recovery rates. Baroness Levitt called it a “modest enabling power” with rates to follow “extensive engagement… and a full public consultation”. Clause 12 was agreed.

Computer‑derived evidence and creative expression (Amendments 61 & 62): Baroness Chakrabarti sought to reinstate PACE s.69 in light of Horizon miscarriages. Lord Arbuthnot said to presume computer evidence is reliable “is unsustainable”. Baroness Kidron said the change “simply allows that computer evidence be treated as all other evidence”. Baroness Levitt was sympathetic but warned a broad change could “bring the criminal courts to a standstill” and said “leave it with me” to explore solutions. On admissibility of rap/drill, she affirmed “creative and artistic expression is of itself not a crime” and noted a CPS consultation. Amendments were withdrawn.

Victims’ right to review and discontinuance (Amendment 63): Lord Russell proposed allowing discontinuance up to the start of trial to enable reinstatement after a successful VRR, citing an overturn rate of about 13%. Baroness Levitt cautioned that discontinuance requires fresh proceedings in the magistrates’ court and would be a “substantial change”; she will consider it alongside wider reforms and a CPS pilot.

Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme and notification: Proposals to extend the 28‑day limit and to mandate victim notification were debated. Lady Brinton described a case rejected as filed “out of court hours” on day 28. Baroness Levitt said “we are listening” on time limits and will meet interested peers, but prefers using the victims’ code (which requires witness care to inform victims within five working days) over primary legislation.

Children sentenced as adults due to delay (Amendment 68) and related issues: Baroness Sater highlighted a “postcode lottery” for children crossing 18 before first appearance. Baroness Levitt was sympathetic, noting guidelines already require sentencing “as though they were being sentenced at the time that they committed the offence,” and offered to meet. She also described increased transparency on foreign national offender data and resisted excluding sexual/domestic abuse offences from Sentencing Act reforms to avoid complexity, while stressing judicial discretion to protect victims. The Bill was reported without amendment.

Local Power Plan and AR7 Onshore Wind/Solar (Ministerial Statement – Lords exchanges)

The Secretary of State reported AR7 outcomes of 1.3 GW onshore wind at £72/MWh and nearly 5 GW solar at £65/MWh—“the largest solar and onshore wind auction in UK history”—arguing prices were “less than half the price of building and operating new gas stations”. The Local Power Plan set aside “up to £1 billion” from Great British Energy for community energy, plus advice and potential shared ownership mandates using existing powers in the Infrastructure Act 2015. Responding to questions on jobs, supply chains and bills, Lord Whitehead said current programmes could create “perhaps 10,000” jobs and outlined GB Energy’s ethical supply chain due diligence unit. He said community energy “will start saving people substantial amounts of money on their bills” and add “considerably to the resilience of the country’s energy supplies”.