Lords Uphold Smoke-Free Generation as Schools Overhaul Outlined
High-Level Summary
The House of Lords scrutinised government policy on post‑16 education, quantum technology, prison education and student finance, and dealt with significant legislation. Peers passed the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill at Third Reading and devoted much of the day to Report on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, rejecting an attempt to replace the smoke‑free generation with a one‑off age rise to 21 and agreeing several implementation and advertising provisions. Ministers also answered questions on a Cabinet Office review concerning Labour Together/APCO, and the Government outlined its approach to a Commons humble Address on papers relating to Lord Mandelson. A wide‑ranging Schools White Paper Statement set out major SEND and school reforms and triggered detailed questioning.
Detailed Summary
Post‑16 Education and Skills White Paper – Question
Baroness Smith of Malvern said the post‑16 White Paper aims to give people “of all ages the skills and knowledge that they need” through a “system‑wide approach to promoting a culture of lifelong learning”. She confirmed the initial Lifelong Learning Entitlement focus would be at levels 4–6, not level 7. Lord Watson praised the Open University’s legacy and asked for more flexible HE pathways; the Minister agreed, citing modular, credit‑banked learning across FE, independent providers and HE, supported by student finance. Baroness Wolf sought data on providers offering modular courses; the Minister undertook to write with numbers. Other issues raised included promoting level 4/5 routes, possible support for Unionlearn—calling the past defunding a “real shame”—with work under way to restore benefits, the OfS focus on quality and linking any future fee rises to quality, tackling NEETs via a youth guarantee, and improved school attendance—“5 million additional days” in the last year. No decisions were announced; some points will be followed up in writing.
Quantum Technology – Question
Lord Vallance of Balham said the national programme has seeded a world‑leading sector and investment is rising to £1 billion over four years to accelerate sensors, networks and computers and build skills and partnerships. When asked to go further on skills, scaling and procurement, he replied, “The short answer is yes” and said more would follow, including use of procurement to pull technology through. He highlighted translational work suited to drug discovery and listed five hubs across biomedical sensing, sensing/imaging/timing, networks, computing and PNT. On leakage of firms and sovereign capability, he said government tracks companies and skills and needs funding, regulation and procurement “to make sure that these companies stay in the UK”. On security, he said the NCSC is leading migration to post‑quantum cryptography and stressed the race to a scaled quantum computer. Addressing funding concerns, he said protecting curiosity‑driven research is his top priority and “no decisions have been made” on changes. He noted that about 11% of global quantum companies are in the UK and procurement will help keep them here amid a global spend race.
Prisons: Education – Question
Lord Timpson said prison education is “not good enough” and budgets have not kept pace with costs, setting priorities to raise classroom attendance, expand digital learning and grow employer partnerships; he also announced that “Lee Child is our first prison reading laureate”. He described low classroom occupancy—“Some are only one‑third full”—and pressures from near‑full prisons. Short sentences hinder training—women’s average stays can be under 45 days. He backed a mixed delivery model focused on the “right kind of support for the right prisoner at the right time” and stressed workshops alongside classrooms. Progress was cited for neurodivergent prisoners, including autism wings where trained staff turn behaviour around, and “90% of the English estate now has digital learning in its cells”. On finances, he said real‑terms provision has fallen—“the budget we have has gone up, but you just get less value for money”—and announced a working‑week trial in five prisons to increase purposeful activity.
Student Loans: Review – Question
Baroness Smith of Malvern said the Government is making “tough but necessary decisions” within a heavily subsidised system and that those who can afford to repay should do so. She stressed the income‑contingent design—“the level of debt impacts [not] the amount anybody repays in any given month” and “the majority of students do not repay the whole of their loan”. She rejected claims that university will be only for the wealthy, noting participation above 50% and focusing on closing access gaps. She listed priorities: stabilising HE finances, reintroducing maintenance grants, increasing maintenance support, reducing NEET numbers and reversing the decline in apprenticeships. She added that only 32% of plan 2 full‑time borrowers starting in 2022‑23 are expected to repay in full. No new policy changes were announced.
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill – First Reading
The Bill was brought from the Commons, certified as a money Bill, and read a first time.
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill – First Reading
The Bill was brought from the Commons, certified as a money Bill, and read a first time.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill – Third Reading
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill called the Bill “a huge step forward” to unlock UK sustainable aviation fuel production, reduce emissions and support green jobs. He confirmed the Secretary of State can enter revenue‑certainty contracts only for SAF produced at UK facilities. Supporters, including Lord Harper and Baroness Pidgeon, thanked Ministers for engagement and commitments to inform the House as policy develops. Lord Moylan opposed it as industrial policy, saying, “This is not net‑zero legislation” and that it “is in fact a piece of industrial policy” that “piles subsidy upon subsidy” with risks passed to passengers. The Bill passed and was returned to the Commons with amendments.
Cabinet Office review: Labour Together and APCO Worldwide – Questions on a Commons Urgent Question
Baroness Anderson of Stoke‑on‑Trent said the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team conducted a fact‑finding exercise and the Prime Minister has referred matters concerning the Minister for the Cabinet Office/DSIT to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. She defended civil service impartiality and clarified that a former Labour Together staffer worked elsewhere in the propriety and constitution group and “had nothing to do with” the exercise. She noted the adviser can investigate only serving Ministers—“There is no such thing as a suspended Minister”—and wider transparency issues for third‑party campaigns would be addressed in the forthcoming elections Bill. On anti‑SLAPP legislation, she could not pre‑empt the King’s Speech but affirmed commitment to the issue.
Lord Speaker’s Statement
The Lord Speaker asked Members to exercise restraint when commenting on matters under police investigation and to avoid prejudicing them.
Government response to the Commons humble Address on Lord Mandelson – Statement
Baroness Smith of Basildon said departments are compiling material in scope and will publish in tranches, with the first due “in early March”. Some documents, including No. 10 correspondence with Lord Mandelson, are subject to a Metropolitan Police investigation and will be released “as soon as we are able to” after consultation with the police. Sensitive national security or international relations material will go to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), with processes being finalised this week. She said the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary will oversee sifting for ISC referral under a delegation from the Cabinet Secretary, and reiterated that publication will be in weeks, not immediately. She also noted that the Government is “not ruling out action in respect of the line of succession” following Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor’s arrest, while investigations proceed. No division.
Tobacco and Vapes Bill – Report (Day 1): smoke‑free generation and related provisions
The House rejected amendments to replace the smoke‑free generation with a one‑off age‑of‑sale rise to 21 (Ayes 78, Noes 246). Opponents of the amendments argued for public health benefits and precedent: “We ban heroin. We require that people wear seat belts”, and that the policy would reduce harms as earlier safety measures did. Later, the Minister said claims that modelling showed the same effect from a rise to 21 and the generational ban were “not true” and that a one‑off rise to 21 was not modelled. Procedure and implementation: The Government accepted that age‑verification regulations should be by affirmative procedure (Amendments 3 and 12). A proposed grant scheme for age‑verification technology was resisted; Ministers said they will not mandate specific technologies and will develop guidance with retailers. Vaping in mental health settings: Government amendments created a narrow exemption to allow vape vending machines for adult in‑patients in mental health hospitals, to support cessation. A broader enabling power to add vapes/nicotine products to the sale prohibition was withdrawn after Ministers argued vapes are significantly less harmful than tobacco and used for cessation. Data, filters, levy and warnings: An amendment to mandate publication of tobacco sales data was withdrawn after Ministers cited existing powers in Clause 95. The Government took powers to regulate cigarette filters up to and including a possible future ban, but opposed an immediate ban pending further evidence. A “polluter pays” manufacturer levy was rejected in favour of tobacco duties raising about £8 billion a year. Proposals for warnings on individual cigarettes were not adopted now; Ministers said existing regulations allow future action, with current focus on pack inserts and warnings.
Tobacco and Vapes Bill – Report (Day 1): heated tobacco, enforcement and specialist tobacconists
Heated tobacco: Attempts to redefine heated tobacco separately for age‑of‑sale rules were withdrawn. Ministers said “there is no safe level of tobacco consumption” and that aerosols from heated tobacco contain carcinogens; heated tobacco will be treated as tobacco throughout. They also accelerated commencement of the updated “tobacco product” definition for advertising/promotion so it applies from Royal Assent, to capture all forms and future products. Counterfeits and penalties: A proposed new offence targeting counterfeit nicotine products was declined; Ministers said existing Trade Marks Act penalties already apply and are severe. Proposals for stepped fixed penalties and mandatory referrals to national agencies were not accepted; the Government pointed to the Regulators’ Code, intelligence‑sharing between trading standards, police and HMRC, and £10 million a year for trading standards, plus HMRC/Border Force work on illicit tobacco. Specialist tobacconists and cigars: Amendments seeking exemptions for handmade cigars from potential packaging rules and preserving current display/sampling arrangements were debated. Ministers said packaging powers have existed since 2014 and must apply to all tobacco to avoid loopholes, but confirmed no current intention to remove existing exemptions for specialist tobacconists on indoor displays (not visible from outside) or sampling rooms, and promised consultation on any future display regulations. Advertising and public health defences: Technical amendments clarified offence timing, protected passive internet service providers, ensured product‑placement rules are not retrospective, and created a defence for public health campaigns so (for example) pharmacies can promote non‑branded vapes for cessation in arrangements with public authorities.
Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving – Statement
The Government set out a broad programme to raise attainment and inclusion, including stronger early‑years‑to‑school transitions, a Year 8 reading test and ambitions to halve the disadvantage gap. It wants children “born under this Labour Government” to “on average leave school with a grade 5 or higher across their GCSEs” and will consult on measures to broaden curriculum measures. SEND reforms include three new layers of support—“targeted, targeted‑plus and specialist”—statutory individual support plans, £1.6 billion to strengthen mainstream inclusion and a £1.8 billion “Experts at Hand” programme to embed psychologists and therapists in schools. The Minister later said this would provide “the equivalent of 160 days’ worth of support in a secondary school and 40 additional days in primary”. EHCPs will remain for complex needs, with reforms sequenced so that “no child will have their EHCP renewed before 2028‑29”. Other measures include behaviour/attendance support, minimum expectations for home‑school partnerships, improved maternity pay for teachers and trust inspection by Ofsted. In Q&A, Ministers addressed diagnostic labelling and commissioned research, teacher retention through pay and conditions, funding profiles and dealing with historic deficits through reform, and tackling high costs in some independent special schools via regulation and price bands. No division.