King Seeks Funding Review as Lords Recast Sporting Events Bill

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords conducted oral questions on social security and child poverty, shipbuilding, Sudan’s humanitarian access, indoor workplace heat, and protections for shareholders from mini‑tender offers, before moving to Report stage on the Sporting Events Bill [HL]. Royal Assent was notified for four Acts, and a Message from the King concerning consideration of Royal Household funding was reported. Peers agreed government changes to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of regulations, provide for charity‑related exemptions from ticket touting rules, and require regard to existing local trading licences; they also voted to allow regularly hosted UK sporting events to use the Bill’s framework where the organiser requests it. Proposals for a statutory ticketing review and for a carve‑out from guaranteed‑hours rules for event workers were defeated. Ministers announced a consultation on banning unlicensed gambling sponsorship and committed to publish a cross‑sector major events strategy by spring next year.

Detailed Summary

Message from the King

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean read a Message from His Majesty asking the Lords to concur with any measures the Commons may propose regarding Royal Household funding: “His Majesty, being desirous that the provision made by Parliament for the financial support of the Royal Household should be considered, asks the Lords Spiritual and Temporal to concur in the adoption of such measures as the House of Commons may propose as suitable”. No decision was taken at this stage.

Royal Assent

Royal Assent was announced: “Royal Assent was notified for the following Acts:” — the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act, the Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Act, the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act, and the Cheltenham Borough Council (Markets) Act.

Social Security: Child Poverty - Question

Baroness Lister of Burtersett asked about social security’s role in reducing child poverty. Lord Katz said the system is a safety net and cited recent changes: “we have removed the two-child limit, lifting 450,000 children out of poverty, and delivered the first ever sustained rise in the standard allowance of universal credit” while also “cutting the cost of essentials and making work pay”. He highlighted efforts to get young people into work, including a “youth jobs grant…with a £3,000 grant” to employers for long‑term Universal Credit claimants. Peers pressed on free school meals and auto‑enrolment; Katz said the expansion “will lift 100,000 children out of poverty” and that eligibility systems are being updated, with further action considered if needed. On measurement, he said the Government will track “relative low income” and “deep material poverty” alongside contextual indicators. He also pointed to “our £39 billion 10‑year programme for more social and affordable housing” within a cross‑government approach.

National Shipbuilding Strategy - Question

Lord Beamish asked about implementation of the strategy. Lord Coaker said “the Government are working hard to deliver for the UK shipbuilding sector,” noting that “since 2024, 1,000 jobs have been saved at Harland & Wolff’s yards… a £10 billion frigate deal was agreed with Norway… and millions have been invested in critical infrastructure”. He urged cultural change and that “buying British is first choice and our shipyards are first preference”. On fleet availability and air defence, he announced “£26 billion of investment over the next 10 years into naval bases” to improve ship availability, and said the future Navy will include “uncrewed vessels” integrated with digital platforms. On maintaining a steady “drum beat” of orders, he cited “13 ships… to be built on the Clyde” and that “only yesterday we announced with the Netherlands eight amphibious transport ships, all to be built in the UK”. Lord West expressed concern that “We will very shortly have four frigates” due to past ordering gaps.

Sudan: Operational Restrictions on Humanitarian Actors - Question

Baroness Brown of Silvertown asked about increasing restrictions on humanitarian actors by parties to the conflict. Baroness Chapman of Darlington said the UK is “deeply alarmed by both the RSF’s and the SAF’s attempts to restrict life‑saving aid” and is lobbying the RSF to rescind directives and urging the SAF to remove impediments. On El Obeid, she said the situation is “incredibly precarious,” with troop build‑ups and displaced civilians seeking refuge, and the UK is engaging counterparts “at Head of State level” to press external backers to stop funding and arming the conflict. She confirmed support for local emergency response rooms—“We have increased our funding to them”—and outlined multilateral action, noting greater success at the Human Rights Council and a coalition for atrocity prevention and justice. On drone attacks, she said she had sought further advice on the responsibility to protect and stressed a “very strong desire… to protect people in Sudan”.

Maximum Temperature for Indoor Workplaces - Question

Lord Sikka asked whether the Government would set a legal maximum temperature for indoor workplaces. Baroness Smith of Malvern said guidance would be modernised and that the Health and Safety Executive “has committed to consult on the workplace health, safety and welfare approved code of practice later this year”. She emphasised that enforceable duties already apply: “it is not true to say that there is no law or no ability to take enforcement against employers” regarding excessive heat. On adaptation, she favoured proportionate approaches to air conditioning in public buildings, would raise wearable tech with the HSE, and cited the Warm Homes Plan and passive cooling measures for low‑income and social housing. She said the Government prefer threshold‑based guidance over “mandating specific action related to a specific temperature”.

Mini‑tender Offers: Protection for Shareholders - Private Notice Question

Baroness Altmann raised concerns about unsolicited mini‑tenders offering below‑market prices to vulnerable small shareholders. Lord Stockwood said the Government are concerned and reminded investors that communications about buying and selling shares must be “fair, clear and not misleading,” adding that Ministers will work with the FCA to monitor risk. He agreed to meet Baroness Altmann and said the FCA CEO would do “a thorough assessment”. He noted that mini‑tenders are not a separate regulatory category but that activities around them fall within existing rules, including on financial promotions and market abuse, and that “Where those communications are misleading, the regulator absolutely has to act”. He highlighted wider work on financial literacy, referencing the Digitisation Taskforce’s recommendations to protect “less sophisticated investors”. On AI investment apps, he said regulation should be “rightsized and appropriate” without “rushing into overregulation”.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Temporary Class Drug) Order 2026 - Motion to Approve

The House approved the Order laid on 10 June: “That the Order laid before the House on 10 June be approved”. The motion was agreed without division: “Motion agreed”.

Sporting Events Bill [HL] – Report stage

Lord Foster of Bath proposed amendments to ban gambling advertising at venues and to require licences for sports data use. Ministers said it was not appropriate to legislate on commercial sponsorships but confirmed “we launched our consultation on banning unlicensed sponsorship within sports and other sectors” that day, which Lord Parkinson welcomed, noting a Written Ministerial Statement. Lord Foster withdrew, remarking: “the Minister has just provided a stonewall to me, and I have lost at this stage”. Parliamentary scrutiny was strengthened: government Amendment 7 made regulations applying the framework subject to the affirmative or “made affirmative resolution procedure”, with further procedural detail agreed on the 40‑day approval period for made‑affirmative instruments. The Bill’s scope was expanded after divisions: Amendment 10 passed (“Ayes 212, Noes 171”), removing the bar on regularly hosted UK events and, via Amendment 13, adding that “the sporting event organiser has asked for the sporting events framework to be applied”. Proponents framed this as “opportunity, not obligation”. On environment and transport, an amendment to name environmental and climate benefits in the test was withdrawn after Ministers confirmed that “social benefit here encompasses consideration of environmental and climate impacts” and promised “the environment will be a clear and stated consideration” in the forthcoming major events strategy. A cleanliness amendment will be discussed further with the Minister, who noted existing local authority duties and powers. On ticketing and trading, government amendments clarified that exceptions to the ticket‑touting offence may include “activities carried out by charities for charitable purposes” and required designated authorising bodies to have regard to “any existing trading licences” when granting trading authorisations. A proposal to require a statutory review and draft legislation on secondary ticketing was defeated (“Ayes 57, Noes 154”); Ministers instead pointed to forthcoming measures including “a price cap on the resale of tickets” and publication of a draft Bill for pre‑legislative scrutiny this Session. On workforce rules, an amendment to disapply guaranteed‑hours provisions for event workers was rejected (“Ayes 129, Noes 188”). Ministers cited the “ongoing consultation on reforms to zero‑hours and similar contracts” and the need to consider all views before any exclusions. Ministers also confirmed the Government’s intention to publish a cross‑sector major events strategy “by the spring”/“by spring next year”.