Evidence-Led Safety Debate; Farming and Defence Plans Unveiled; Steel Advances

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords examined government policy across transport safety, primary care pharmacy provision, policing technologies, fertility regulation and public order, and took questions on prisoner early release linked to prison capacity. Ministers pointed to ongoing consultations and evidence-led strategies on drink- and drug‑driving and on the use of AI and live facial recognition, and confirmed pre‑legislative scrutiny for a draft Conversion Practices Bill. Statements outlined a 25‑year Farming Road Map and a multi‑year Defence Investment Plan. Committee stage on the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill saw extensive probing on pensions, consultation, compensation, liabilities, financial assistance, carbon policy and reporting; all amendments were withdrawn or not moved and the Bill was reported without amendment.

Detailed Summary

Drink‑Driving – Oral Question

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town asked about innovation and technology to reduce drink‑driving and repeat offending, highlighting alcohol interlocks. The Government said its approach, via the new road safety strategy consultation, is evidence‑led and includes alcolocks and possible lower limits: “part of the consultation is indeed to look at lowering the limits for drink-driving”. Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill noted international evidence that alcolocks reduce reoffending while fitted, but rates may return after removal: “they reduce reoffending while installed, but reoffending returns to a similar level once they are removed”. Peers raised rising drug‑driving and detection issues; the Minister said drug‑driving is increasing and work is under way on admissible testing methods, including oral fluids, saliva and sweat. On courts mandating alcolocks, he confirmed it is within consultation scope: “precisely one of the things that the Government have consulted about”. Scotland’s lower‑limit experience will be considered alongside wider evidence: “Scotland did not see a significant casualty reduction” but risk rises at 20–50 mg/100 ml. No immediate policy changes were announced; next steps depend on consultation outcomes.

Pharmacy Closures – Oral Question

Baroness Janke sought an assessment of the impact of closures on primary care. The Government cited increased funding and access measures: “increased the community pharmacy budget by £340 million—a 10% uplift” and said closures have slowed to “19 net closures in 2025-26 compared with 112 in 2024-25”. Support includes the Pharmacy Access Scheme—“About 1,400 benefit… receive an average of £1,130 per month”—and local authority needs assessments with ICBs. Ministers noted pharmacies are private businesses and reported access remains strong: “80% of patients can access a pharmacy within a 20-minute walk”. On workforce pressures, a refreshed 10‑year plan will upskill pharmacists and teams: it will “deliver the transformation of the health service, which pharmacists are very much part of”. No new policies were announced; Ministers referenced existing schemes and forthcoming workforce planning.

Counterterrorism: AI and Live Facial Recognition – Oral Question

Peers asked whether current law permits appropriate use of AI and live facial recognition (LFR) for counterterrorism. The Government said it does, with further clarity via the forthcoming police reform Bill: “The current legal architecture allows effective use of these technologies” and the Bill will add “clearer rules and independent oversight for facial recognition”. On AI chatbots used for radicalisation, Ministers said existing terrorism law generally suffices but is kept under review: “existing terrorism legislation generally provides sufficient coverage. Nevertheless, we are continuing to look at that”. On governance of LFR, the Minister said: “There needs to be a clear framework for this… We will bring forward proposals”. Accuracy concerns were addressed by emphasising human oversight and productivity benefits: “there is always a set of human eyes” and AI can free up “potentially… an extra 3,000 police officer hours”. Next steps include the police reform Bill and continued consultation analysis.

IVF Treatment Add‑ons – Oral Question

Baroness Nargund raised findings that many IVF add‑ons lack evidence. The Government said the HFEA provides information and that “In most cases, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that they improve treatment outcomes”. Ministers added that current law does not permit banning add‑ons but broader fertility regulatory reform is being considered: “the Act does not currently provide powers to ban add-ons”. Peers highlighted postcode variation in NHS‑funded IVF and messaging on egg freezing. The Government prefers local commissioning but is reviewing variation: “access to NHS-funded fertility services is variable, and we are reviewing the situation”. On egg freezing expectations, the Minister cautioned: “this is not an insurance policy to be relied on to guarantee a baby”. Further research and data work with NHS England were referenced, noting “scant evidence that many of these add-ons are anything other than optional and not recommended”.

Numeracy for Life Committee – Membership Motions

The House agreed motions, moved en bloc, to appoint Baroness Shawcross‑Wolfson, Baroness Dacres of Lewisham and Baroness Hunter of Auchenreoch to the Select Committee in place of Baroness Spielman, Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town and Lord Young of Norwood Green; “Motions agreed”.

Prisoner Early Release – Commons Urgent Question (reported to Lords)

Peers questioned Ministers on earlier‑than‑expected release of some offenders linked to prison capacity and the Sentencing Act 2026. The Government argued the Act prevented justice from stalling: “Without the Sentencing Act 2026… the courts would be at risk of grinding to a halt”, and highlighted expansion and monitoring: “delivering the largest prison expansion since the Victorian era” and “the biggest expansion of tagging in history”. Lord Timpson stressed capacity realities and victim support: “if we do not tackle this problem of prisons running out of space, we will be back to where we were again”, and said there is “the highest ever amount being invested in victim support services, over half a billion pounds”. Implanted chips were rejected: “it was not something we accepted at all”. A figure of 7,500 prison place savings was cited, with quarterly updates planned: “we think… there will be 7,500 prison place savings” and this sort of information is in a “quarterly update”.

Draft Conversion Practices Bill – Statement (from Commons) and Lords Questions

The Government set out draft legislation to ban abusive conversion practices, with specific offences and protection orders, and invited pre‑legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee. Supporters emphasised tackling abuse while safeguarding free speech, parental and religious freedoms; critics challenged necessity and evidence. Baroness Cash argued the Bill “provides no necessary new protections and risks criminalising people who have done nothing wrong”. Minister Lord Collins said the aim is to protect LGBT+ people from serious harm and identified legal gaps: “no one should face abuse just because of who they are”, and coercive control law “would not capture an offence committed by someone they did not know”. He assured peers the Bill “will not dictate how people raise their children”, and that pastoral religious teaching would not be affected: “A religious leader teaching their faith’s views… should not be affected”. Next steps are pre‑legislative scrutiny and continued engagement.

Farming Road Map and Profitability Review – Statement (from Commons) and Lords Questions

Ministers presented a 25‑year plan for farming to improve profitability, sustainability and resilience: “This 25-year farming road map is the first ever long-term plan for farming”. Measures include environmental land management funding of £11.8 billion this Parliament, reopening the Sustainable Farming Incentive for small farms, and an additional £53 million for innovation. On EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) talks, the Minister said the summit was postponed but “we are continuing with negotiations”. She rejected a farming‑versus‑environment framing: “we are trying to bring resilience to farming… environmental resilience means that we have better food security”, and promised smarter, less duplicative inspections: “we had three separate groups… That is what we have to stop”. Commitments included improving access for uplands and common land—“support is accessible, practical and viable for common land… asked the RPA to look at this”—and strengthening public procurement of British produce.

Defence Investment Plan – Statement (from Commons) and Lords Questions

The Defence Secretary’s plan sets spending at “£298 billion over the next four years” with “an additional £15 billion” and a “27%” real‑terms rise by 2029‑30. Priorities include £5 billion for drones and autonomy, £64 billion for Dreadnought/AUKUS submarines and a new warhead, and £9 billion to upgrade military family housing. The Government reaffirmed NATO commitments—“We will reach 3% in the next Parliament… 3.5 by ’35”. Peers questioned funding credibility, reliance on efficiencies and the need for a national resilience conversation. Lord Coaker said new spending power “is not conditional on these efficiency savings”, highlighted housing investment—“nearly £9 billion over the next 10 years”, and committed to a public debate on priorities: “we will come forward with proposals and plans with respect to a national conversation”. Scrutiny will continue through spending reviews and committee oversight.

Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill – Committee (2nd Day)

The Committee scrutinised pensions, consultation, compensation, liabilities, financial assistance, carbon costs and reporting. On pensions, Ministers said Clause 44 manages scheme consequences and noted that for British Steel there is “a defined contribution scheme, so there is nothing to transfer or leave behind”. A proposal to require pre‑transfer consultation was resisted as potentially delaying urgent action: “a statutory duty to consult could delay the transfer”. An amendment requiring pursuit of a private buyer was withdrawn after assurances: “Public ownership is not an end in itself; it is a means of safeguarding a strategically important asset” and it is not intended to be indefinite. On transparency and compensation, the Government said final determinations would be published, including environmental liabilities—“we intend to allow the final compensation determinations to be made public”—and indicated it is “very likely” an independent valuer would be appointed. Ministers rejected statutory caps on financial assistance as too rigid—“would risk constraining the Government’s ability to respond effectively”—but were “sympathetic” to more frequent reporting and will consider this further before Report. Proposals to exempt a public steel firm from CBAM/ETS were refused: “The UK cannot build a resilient steel sector by exempting it” and “CBAM makes no exemptions for particular UK firms”. Calls to disapply ESG and company reporting were also rejected: “Public ownership should set the bar for transparency, not lower it”. All amendments discussed were withdrawn or not moved; the Bill was reported without amendment.