Lords Press Transparency, End Troubles Immunity, Debate Energy and AI

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords took four Oral Questions on defence procurement finance cooperation, climate action, VAT relief for business donations to charities, and public‑service preparedness for a possible El Niño. Ministers said the UK will not join a proposed defence, security and resilience bank, reaffirmed clean‑energy and adaptation plans, committed to monitor the new VAT relief’s impact, and outlined cross‑government severe‑weather resilience work. The Government repeated a Commons Urgent Question answer on the Lord Mandelson Humble Address, confirming a large second tranche of material will be published after Whitsun with a redaction methodology, and a later tranche after police investigations. A Commons Statement on the Supreme Court’s Dillon judgment was repeated, with the Government set to lay a remedial order to remove conditional immunity and to proceed with a Troubles Bill. Two Private Members’ Bills received first reading. The day concluded with the fourth day of debate on the King’s Speech, focusing on energy security and nuclear regulation, education (including SEND), technology/AI and culture (including secondary ticketing and the BBC).

Detailed Summary

Retirement of a Member: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean notified the House of Baroness Clark of Kilwinning’s retirement with effect from that day, thanking her for her “much‑valued service to the House”. No decision was required.

Defence, Security and Resilience Bank – Oral Question

Asked whether the UK would join the proposed defence, security and resilience bank, the Exchequer Secretary, Lord Livermore, said the Government had “no current plans to join the defence, security and resilience bank” and is prioritising a multilateral defence mechanism with EU and NATO allies, aiming to establish it by 2027. He said the defence investment plan is a zero‑based review to be “published shortly”, and reiterated that there is no contradiction between ESG policies and defence, adding that “no company should ever be denied access to financial services solely on the basis that they work in the defence sector”.

On design, he indicated the proposed mechanism’s activities could include “lending to sovereigns and to the sector and providing loans to supply chains and loans for capacity expansion”, structured as “an independent international financial institution” leveraging private capital. He cited growing defence outlays—“NATO qualifying defence spending is set to rise to 2.6% of GDP by April next year” with an ambition for 3% when conditions allow—and noted that “68% of defence spending goes to businesses outside London and the south‑east”. Outcome: policy unchanged; the Government is pursuing an alternative joint procurement/financing mechanism and preparing the investment plan for publication.

Climate Change: Government Action – Oral Question

Energy Minister Lord Whitehead said the Government has taken “decisive action to tackle climate change by accelerating the transition from volatile fossil fuels to homegrown clean energy”. He described the forthcoming energy Bill as “a crucial part of the next stage of countering climate change” alongside the carbon budget and growth delivery plan.

On adaptation, he said “a report on adaptation will be coming out shortly”, stressing that “The Government are completely guided by the science”. He regretted a breakdown in consensus and said it was the Government’s “fervent wish that this consensus can be regained”. On nature and the King’s Speech, he said the environment plan is “interwoven in everything that the Government are doing as far as climate change and low carbon are concerned”. On Drax, he said current support is reduced versus previous arrangements and “this agreement ends in 2032 if Drax does not undertake further activities to ameliorate its emissions”. No decisions were sought.

VAT Relief on Business Donations to Charities – Oral Question

Lord Livermore said the new VAT relief on business donations of goods to charities took effect on 1 April and it is “too soon yet to assess the impacts”, though the CBI estimates an additional “£72.5 million in total donations annually”. He undertook to “accept the evidence” if diversion away from social supermarkets emerges.

He added that HMRC is “absolutely cracking down on this type of behaviour” regarding non‑registration/avoidance, and that there is not yet sufficient evidence to carve out high‑fat, salt or sugar foods, though officials will “maintain an open dialogue with the sector”. On Northern Ireland applicability under the Windsor Framework, he could not confirm and said, “I will investigate that and write to him”. Outcome: policy stands; monitoring and engagement will continue.

El Niño: Potential Impact on Public Services – Oral Question

Baroness Anderson said El Niño is one of several drivers of UK weather and “any potential impacts will depend on how these drivers combine”, to be assessed as forecasts evolve later in the year. Recalling 2022’s impacts, she said it “was the UK’s hottest year on record and saw over 20,000 hectares of land in England burned … at least 14 fire and rescue services declaring major incidents … as well as 2,985 excess deaths”. She highlighted a COBRA‑led severe weather resilience network and guidance at gov.uk/prepare.

She also pointed to the need for design standards and new modelling, “how we will use AI in addition to traditional modelling”, undertook to write with details on aerial firefighting assets, and will raise language accessibility for emergency alerts beyond English and Welsh. Cross‑government coordination, including devolved governments, continues through the severe weather resilience network. No decisions were taken.

Private Members’ Bills – First Readings

Two Bills were introduced and ordered to be printed: the Commercial Payments Bill [HL]—“A Bill to make provision about payment terms in commercial contracts; to make provision about interest on late payment of commercial debts; to ban retention clauses in the construction sector; to expand the powers of the Small Business Commissioner …”—and the Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]—“A Bill to make provision about the regulation of financial services and markets; and for connected purposes”. Next step: printing and scheduling for second reading.

Government response to Commons UQ on Lord Mandelson (Humble Address) – Ministerial Statement and Questions

Baroness Anderson said the Government continues to comply with the Humble Address, having referred “over 300 documents to the Intelligence and Security Committee” where publication might prejudice national security or international relations. She confirmed “the second tranche will now be published after the Whitsun Recess”, accompanied by a published methodology explaining redactions. Redactions will follow precedent, including junior officials’ names and contacts, third‑party personal data outside scope, and legal professional privilege, applying FOI principles and ministerial accountability resolutions.

Opposition and ISC concerns focused on redactions and the use of WhatsApp. Baroness Finn argued, “Materials must not be redacted and withheld from Parliament in contravention of the humble Address”. The Minister replied that the Government is “following the precedent” of protecting junior officials’ information, and said guidance on non‑corporate channels (e.g., WhatsApp) will be reviewed “imminently”. ISC Chair Lord Beamish stated: “The Government need to justify why they are going to redact things other than on the grounds which we have decided”. On timing, Baroness Anderson noted Statements are not typically repeated the same day and undertook to be available for questions after publication. She also confirmed a third and final tranche will follow police investigations. No vote; next step is publication after Whitsun and continued ISC engagement.

Supreme Court Dillon judgment (Northern Ireland legacy) – Statement and Questions

Repeating a Commons Statement, Baroness Anderson said the Government opposed the legacy Act’s conditional immunity and “immediately withdrew the appeal on immunity” on taking office. The Supreme Court upheld the Government’s appeal on Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, clarifying that the protected rights are those “concerned with ending the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland” and that relevant provisions should not have been disapplied under Article 2. The Court also held that the ICRIR can conduct ECHR‑compliant investigations and that while sensitive disclosure limits are permissible, “the Secretary of State does not have an unrestrained power to ‘veto’ the disclosure of information” and any decision is subject to judicial review.

The Minister stressed that the Supreme Court “has not endorsed the immunity scheme—it remains incompatible with our human rights obligations” and that the Government will proceed with a remedial order to remove it. She argued that a reformed Troubles Bill is still needed—to improve governance and investigatory functions, enable Irish co‑operation, enhance disclosure transparency and add veteran safeguards. In Lords exchanges, she said it was clear that “amnesty would not be found to be legal”, confirmed “the Government will move forward with the remedial order” and will share forthcoming amendments including for veterans. She indicated that the Secretary of State will raise Ireland’s interstate case directly with the Irish Foreign Minister, confirmed continued support for the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains, and cited the current caseload breakdown (10 live proceedings, mostly paramilitary). Next steps: lay the remedial order and table Government amendments to the Troubles Bill.

King’s Speech – Debate (Day 4): Energy, Education, Technology and Culture

Opening the debate, Lord Whitehead said the Government’s plan is to “build a more resilient Britain” and set out measures on clean energy, home upgrades, technology and education, including proposals to outlaw ticket resale above face value. Peers scrutinised energy transition costs and security of supply, with one warning that “The blind pursuit of renewables is costing the British economy and the British people”, while others pressed for urgency on Clean Power 2030 and nature restoration, noting that “Britain’s existing renewables have shielded us from some £1.7 billion in additional gas import costs” and that the word “nature” did not appear in the Address.

On the Civil Service, proposals to “strengthen the delivery, accountability, innovation and productivity of the Civil Service” were welcomed, with calls for “Authority, transparency and accountability” to make reform stick. Technology and online safety were a major focus, with questions such as “Where … is the legislative vehicle to deliver the urgent changes needed to the online safety regime?” and the observation that there was “no … AI Bill at all”. Cultural policy featured strongly: peers defended free entry to national museums—“do not … go down the road of changing free entry for all to our museums”—and discussed BBC funding and role. On protecting children online, one contribution urged the Government to “introduce a ban on mobile phones in school” and to strengthen platform responsibility. Education speakers highlighted reducing NEET rates—“nearly 1 million young people … are NEET”—and SEND reform, welcoming investment “over the next three years to support SEND inclusion” while seeking alignment of curriculum and assessment. No decisions were taken; the debate will inform scrutiny of the Session’s Bills.