Business of the House

The Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, opened the debate by outlining the government's upcoming business for the remainder of the week and the coming weeks. She congratulated the Speaker on his re-election and welcomed all new and returning members to the 59th Parliament. Powell emphasized the government's commitment to restoring respect and trust in politics, and their plans to drive up standards and improve working practices in Parliament through motions on a modernisation committee and on second jobs. In response, the Shadow Leader of the House, Chris Philp, raised several concerns about major policy announcements made by the new government without reference to Parliament. He questioned the government's decisions to scrap the Rwanda asylum scheme, cancel new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea, and remove green belt protections, arguing that these should have been announced first in the House. Philp also challenged the government's claims about the state of the economy and public finances, calling for any such statements to be accompanied by a full Office for Budget Responsibility forecast. The debate that followed covered a wide range of topics. Several members, including Carolyn Harris, Wera Hobhouse, and Navendu Mishra, raised issues related to their local constituencies, such as congratulating a local teacher, concerns about public libraries, and the need for action on flooding and water infrastructure. Other members, such as Dame Harriett Baldwin and Jerome Mayhew, sought reassurance from the government on the continuation of infrastructure projects in their areas. The debate also touched on national issues, with members discussing matters such as the importance of protecting places of worship, the need to address the social care crisis and tackle climate change, and the government's plans for education, child poverty, and the infected blood scandal. The Leader of the House responded to these points, often promising to raise the issues with the relevant government ministers or to provide further information in upcoming debates and statements. Overall, the debate demonstrated the wide range of concerns and priorities that members from across the House sought to raise with the new government, covering both local and national issues. The Leader of the House acknowledged the need to restore respect and trust in Parliament, and committed to ensuring that major policy announcements are made first to the House when it is sitting.