Week beginning 26 January 2015

Whats Coming Up

Quote of the Week

Monday: Lord Addington will be speaking in a debate on the future of museums My own town of Cleckheaton [is] a
in regional areas which play a vital role in British tourism.
large rural areas best illustrated as
the setting for The Last of the
Lib Dem Peers, led by Baroness Hamwee, will take part in the further Summer Wine series. A show about
consideration of the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill, including amendments
a group of elderly rabble rousers
tabled by Lord King that seek to implement the Data Communications Bill the and a man called Clegg - something
so-called Snoopers Charter. While there is not expected to be a vote at with which I'm sure many of these
Committee Stage, Lib Dem Peers leading on the Bill will speak strongly against
benches can empathise!
the proposals, which have been stopped within Government by Nick Clegg.
____________________________________________
Kath Pinnock engages in a bit of
self-deprecating humour in her first
Tuesday: Lord Chidgey will be leading the debate on the recent events in Eritrea
speech to the Lords
and Ethiopia and their impact on migration to Western Europe. The region has
remained in conflict ever since the Somali Civil War broke out in 1991. As
Tweet of the Week
recently as last Thursday a car bomb exploded in Mogadishu leaving three dead.
____________________________________________
Wednesday: The final day of Committee Stage of Counter-Terrorism Bill. Lib Dem
Peers, including Party President Baroness Brinton will examine the issue of
radicalisation in schools, universities and higher education facilities. Lib Dems
will seek to ensure there is a balance of maintaining free speech with combatting
the rise of extremism.
____________________________________________
Thursday: Lord Stoneham, Lib Dem Lords spokesperson on Business, Innovation
& Skills, will be talking about the importance of British industry and exports in
Thursdays debate on UK exports. Lib Dem Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has
been instrumental in rebuilding the UKs industrial base including through the
Governments comprehensive Industrial Strategy.
Lord Storey, Lib Dem spokesperson for education, is highlighting Lib Dem
achievements in education as the Lords debate the progress of the Coalitions
Governments school reforms.
Former Leader of the Liberal Party Lord Steel will be leading the debate on the
House of Lords recognising the state of Palestine alongside the state
of Israel. The Commons voted in favour of a similar resolution last
October.

Full schedule here

Olly Grender (@OllyGrender)

highlights one of the victories the
Lib Dems (and Julian Huppert MP)
can celebrate in the latest Bill to
pass through the House

Next weeks bills

Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill
Committee Stage

Small Business, Enterprise and

Employment Bill
Committee Stage

Pension Schemes Bill

Report Stage

Lib Dem Lords

in Government
Baroness Jolly answered Baroness Benjamins questions on allowing those in the armed services to have
sufficient time to spend with their families. Baroness Jolly highlighted how harmony guidelines are set to
ensure that there is a balance between the competing aspects of the lives of service personnel.
The MoD has been in discussion with the Department for Education in England on leave of absence from
school, including on the operational needs of the Armed Forces preventing families taking leave during school
holidays and relating to before, during and after deployment.
Baroness Jolly also responded to the debate on the Governments support for artists. She highlighted the
continued progress of the Coalition Governments work on cultural education. The DCMS, the DfE and the
Arts Council have worked together to increase the opportunities and support for any young person who
wants to get involved with the arts. The Government are making a substantial investment in music education,
including 246 million for music education hubs, which are managed by the Arts Council. These aim to
improve access to music education for all, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
____________________________________________
Baroness Kramer has announced 27 million in funding for the next stage of the Bristol rapid bus network.
This 27 million will help transform travel around Bristol. The South Bristol Link will help get traffic off the
roads, spark economic growth and link people to jobs.
Investment continues the Lib Dem commitment to help build
stronger local economies, give our cities first-rate transport
systems and benefit the UK as a whole.
Susan also visited Cornwall, alongside local Lib Dem MP
Stephen Gilbert, to mark the completion of a 2.5 million
scheme to install a footbridge and lifts at St Austell station. The
project is part of the more than 550 million improving
accessibility at over 200 stations, part of a record investment
we are making in the railways.
____________________________________________
Lord Newby responded to questions on wealth inequality. He highlighted the work of the Coalition
Government in ensuring that the wealthy pay the tax they owe and in particular the work the UK has done to
lead efforts through the G20 and the OECD to reform the international tax rules to tackle the issue of
multinationals artificially shifting their profits to avoid paying tax. Since 2013, we have been the first G7
country to meet the UN commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on development aid. A commitment that the Lib
Dems are working to maintain by enshrining it in law.
He also highlighted the successes of the Coalition Government in this area including the increased level of
employment which means that there are now 390,000 fewer children living in workless households, setting a
very important example in those households about their future life prospects. There are also a record
number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university, one of the best ways of ensuring that
people get a good, well paid job.

Last Weeks Business

Lib Dem Peers fight for aid targets
Lord Purvis led the fight in the Lords in favour of Lib Dem MP Michael Moores Bill that makes the commitment to
investing 0.7% of the budget in international development, a legal obligation. The target, put forward by the UN, will
move the debate on to how we can continue to spend aid effectively and transparently, rather than debate whether
we should meet the target.
The uncertainty about the aid budget from year to year can make it significantly more difficult to support long term
projects that require stable funding over many years. These often include some of the most important projects to
end poverty, protect human rights, improve education and save lives.
Lord Purvis ended the debate by calling for the Lords to support the Bill: I am 40 years old. The target for the 0.7%
set by the UN in 1970 was for it to be reached in the year in which I was born. We have now reached it. We should
never go back to the debate about whether we will reach it but should now focus our minds on how best we spend
our support for those in the world who most need it.
Lib Dem DFID Minister Baroness Northover responded stating "I'm delighted to be part of a UK government that has
for the first time met the 0.7% target to support worldwide development." The Bill was part of the Coalition
agreement and has gained backing in the Commons under Michael Moores stewardship, it would never have
happened without Liberal Democrats in Government and in Parliament.

Baroness Hamwee highlights benefits of foreign students

Baroness Hamwee asked an the Government its assessment they have made of the impact on students, universities
and international relations of requiring overseas students to leave the United Kingdom immediately upon
graduating.
The question followed calls by Theresa May, the Home Secretary, to change the immigration rules so that overseas
students at UK universities who wanted to stay on to work would have to return home immediately after graduation.
Speaking to Politics Home Sally said: It is widely acknowledged that the presence of overseas students is important.
Their fees represent considerable income for the universities, but perhaps more significant is whether they feel
welcomed by this country and how, as a consequence, their home countries regard the UK.

Baroness Benjamin argues for a better family life for armed forces
Baroness Benjamin asked the Government on Monday, what measures are in place to ensure that servicemen and
women are given the opportunity and support to spend sufficient time with their children and families. She also
highlighted the work of the charity Give Us Time who are helping service men and women reconnect and engage
with their families after a tour of duty. They have reported that they are coming up against hurdles and inequalities
in their goal. One example was that leave time does not always coincide with school holidays and a soldier was fined
500 for taking his children on holiday during the school term.

On the blog this week:

o

Susan Kramer Opens Access For All Improvements In Cornwall

Tim Clement-Jones: Out And About On The Doorstep

Sally Hamwee: Sending Overseas Students Home Is Economic Nonsense

Paul Tyler: Devolution Dialogue On Democracy Day

Susan Kramer Announces 27 Million For Next Stage Of Bristol Rapid Bus Network
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