House of Lords — sitting of 4 November 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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House of Lords

4 November 2026

Contents updated on 4 Nov 2026

Question time in the House of Lords on how constitutional and policy divergence in Wales affects the integrity of the United Kingdom.

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Oral question 1 — Impact of constitutional and policy divergence in Wales on the integrity of the UK

36:24

Debate on the question

36:24

Question of Baroness Wilcox of Newport on Welsh devolution and UK integrity — main question and ministerial reply

36:24

Supplementary question from Baroness Wilcox on outcomes as the test of devolution

37:04

Question on English divergence and the integrity of the UK

38:16

Liberal Democrat question on future direction of Welsh devolution

39:14

Baroness Goldie on Scottish experience and focus on public services

41:07

Lord Anderson of Swansea on spreading power and prosperity beyond Cardiff

42:55

Crossbench question on intergovernmental meetings and relations with Wales

44:13

Question on poor Welsh outcomes and ruling out further constitutional divergence

45:32

Lord Wigley on sources of ministerial advice on devolved matters

46:21

Oral question 2 — Lifting the freeze in local housing allowance and the effect on homelessness and temporary accommodation

47:09

Debate on the question

47:09

Baroness Lister of Burtersett on local housing allowance freeze — main question and ministerial reply

47:09

Baroness Lister on LHA as preventative spending and restoring uprating

47:44

Liberal Democrat question on LHA shortfalls and homelessness "logjam"

49:27

Question on asylum seekers, rough sleepers and LHA adequacy

50:49

Bishop of Leicester on LHA freeze costs versus council spending

52:14

Lord Best on landlords refusing tenants with benefit shortfalls

53:32

Question on restoring LHA to the 30th percentile as a short-term measure

54:33

Baroness Stedman-Scott on OBR forecast of fewer homes and higher costs

55:48

Question on homelessness, temporary accommodation and public health impacts

57:08

Oral question 3 — Relevance of the Second Chamber to contemporary Britain and Northern Ireland

58:42

Debate on the question

58:42

Lord Mann — main question and ministerial reply on the relevance of the Second Chamber

58:42

Question on AI potentially usurping the revising chamber

59:20

Question on Commons scrutiny failures and the relevance of the Lords

01:00:39

Lord Weir on regional and national balance in Lords reform

01:01:11

Question on making the Lords a democratic chamber under the 1911 Parliament Act

01:02:19

Baroness Finlay on increasing HOLAC appointments to fill expertise gaps

01:03:06

Baroness Finn on scrutiny effectiveness as a source of legitimacy

01:03:54

Baroness Foster on raising awareness of Lords and committee work, especially for Northern Ireland

01:04:49

Baroness Hayman on constraining Prime Ministerial patronage and ministerial reply

01:06:06

Baroness Goldie on preserving the House’s equilibrium and ministerial reply

01:07:24

Oral question 4 — Number of recalls to prison for breach of licence in the year to June 2026

01:09:00

Debate on the question

01:09:00

Lord Farmer — main question on recalls and initial ministerial answer

01:09:00

Lord Farmer on rehabilitation and relationships in recall policy

01:09:30

Question on reducing IPP licence recalls and ministerial reply

01:11:27

Lord Marks on non‑compliance recalls and support during 56‑day returns

01:12:15

Question on IPPs repeatedly proving safety on recall and ministerial reply

01:14:03

Lord Wolfson on data for recalls after the new progression scheme

01:15:03

Question on recall breakdown by offence type and ministerial reply

01:16:38

Question on addiction treatment on release and ministerial reply

01:17:02

Baroness Fox on housing, recall practices and IPP labelling

01:18:06

End of oral questions and short pause in proceedings

01:19:30

Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 — motion to approve

01:20:45

Approval of the Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 — agreed

01:20:45

Urgent Question Repeat — Situation at Poundland and actions to protect jobs

01:21:11

Questions on government response and support for affected workers and businesses

01:21:11

Intervenant 56 — Question on employment costs, regulation and government support after Poundland collapse

01:21:11

Intervenant 58 — Question on government stance toward Poundland sale and intervention

01:23:36

Intervenant 59 — Question on advice to small suppliers with unpaid Poundland invoices

01:25:20

The Lord Harper — Question on wider trading conditions, Employment Rights Act and unemployment

01:26:30

The Baroness Wheatcroft — Question on private equity debt loading at Poundland

01:27:48

The Lord Sikka — Proposals on interest tax relief and worker-elected directors

01:28:41

Intervenant 64 — Question on ruling out subsidy or nationalisation of Poundland

01:29:32

The Lord Foulkes of Cumnock — Question on executive pay and criticism of minimum wage

01:29:40

Intervenant 66 — Question on rising NI and business rates versus high street support

01:30:18

Intervenant 67 — Question on whether Poundland has benefited from higher or lower tax and regulation

01:30:37

Representation of the People Bill — committee (day 2)

01:31:37

Committee stage — general proceedings and clauses 7–15 and Schedule 1

01:31:37

House again resolves into committee on the Representation of the People Bill

01:31:37

Schedule 1

01:32:30

The Lord Fuller — Opposition to compulsory overnight counting in Amendment 124

01:32:30

The Lord Jackson of Peterborough — Clarification that Amendment 124 is probing and flexible

01:36:19

The Lord Hayward OBE Practical concerns about recounts, intimidation and public confidence

01:36:47

The Lord Jackson of Peterborough Completion of remarks on Amendment 129 (undue influence)

01:42:59

Intervenant 77 Practical objections to Amendment 124 on overnight verification

01:45:11

The Lord Frost Support for Amendment 124 and importance of election-night drama

01:49:30

The Lord Hayward OBE Question on increased electoral complexity since 2000

01:52:41

The Lord Frost Conclusion of remarks on democratic significance of counts

01:53:24

Intervenant 34 Poll cards, overnight counts and piloting electoral innovations

01:54:50

The Lord Jamieson Safeguards for young voters, flexible voting and undue influence

02:00:35

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE Opening response and reflections on US elections

02:06:43

Intervenant 81 Aside on watching US election results

02:07:25

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE Need to safeguard confidence in democracy

02:07:28

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE — Government response on safeguarding under‑16s, voter information and voting innovations

02:08:27

The Lord Hayward OBE — Call to factor costs into evaluation of voting pilots

02:15:07

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE — Reply on costs and undue spiritual pressure

02:15:40

The Baroness Coffey DBE — Response and withdrawal of Amendment 10

02:17:34

Votes on Amendment 12 and Schedule 1 — agreed

02:18:03

Clause 7 — Electoral law consolidation and registration officers

02:18:47

The Lord Hayward OBE Concerns over fragmented electoral law and central prescription of local roles

02:18:47

The Lord Shamash Call for consolidation of the Representation of the People Act using new tools

02:28:06

The Lord Fuller OBE Warning about complexity, contradictions and reliance on secondary legislation

02:29:58

Intervenant 34 Support for simplification and targeted quibbles on specific amendments

02:32:42

The Lord Jamieson Backing for trust in electoral officers and criticism of added bureaucracy

02:34:46

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE — Response on consolidation, electoral officers and Clause 44

02:39:16

The Lord Hayward OBE — Request for clarification on support from regulators

02:45:35

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE — Assurance on consultation with Electoral Commission and AEA

02:46:02

The Lord Hayward OBE — Acceptance and withdrawal of amendment

02:46:17

Questions that Clauses 7 to 14 stand part of the bill — agreed

02:46:54

Motion that the House be resumed and committee proceedings paused

02:47:54

Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 — motion to approve and regret motion

02:48:43

Minister — Introduction of the Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026

02:48:43

Debate on the motion to approve and the regret amendment

02:56:14

Regret motion by Lord Leigh of Hurley on the sanctions regulations

02:56:14

The Baroness Ludford — Concerns about timing and diplomatic consequences of sanctions

03:04:40

Intervenant 91 — Tribute to Baroness Ramsay and questions on using the aid obstruction ground

03:08:01

Intervenant 92 — Call for legal certainty on East Jerusalem transactions and sanctions risk

03:11:22

Intervenant 92 — Concerns about legal uncertainty and de facto boycott effects

03:12:20

Intervenant 93 — Fears of mission creep, low thresholds and inconsistency

03:14:19

The Baroness Altmann CBE — Warning of antisemitic impact of the regulations

03:16:59

Intervenant 96 — Alleged singling out of Israel and failure to act elsewhere

03:18:39

Intervenant 97 — Protecting UK–Israel trade and opposing boycotts

03:21:33

Intervenant 98 — Critique of UK policy towards Israel after 7 October

03:24:19

Intervenant 98 — Condemnation of government motives and the regulations

03:27:29

Intervenant 99 — Detailed questions on Israel-focused application and safeguards

03:27:58

The Lord Shinkwin — Questions on impact of sanctions on healthcare access

03:31:12

The Rt Hon. the Lord Frost CMG — Concerns about targeting and process for follow‑up regulations

03:33:14

Intervenant 102 — Call for proportionality, clarity and restored reporting duty to Parliament

03:36:29

Intervenant 103 — Request for reassurance on safeguards

03:38:34

Intervenant 104 — Support for global scope of sanctions and need for enforcement capacity

03:38:39

Intervenant 105 — Concerns about free speech and evidential standards

03:41:42

Intervenant 106 — Warning of double standards and focus on Israel

03:43:10

Intervenant 107 — Critique of loss of UK influence and unclear sanctions outcomes

03:45:27

Intervenant 108 — Procedural note on declaration of interests

03:48:53

Intervenant 99 — Late declaration of registered interests

03:49:00

The Lord Purvis of Tweed — Support for the global regime and call for humanitarian licensing

03:49:07

The Lord Callanan — Opposition concerns on timing, scope and safeguards

03:52:38

Intervenant 88 — Ministerial wind-up opposing Lord Leigh’s regret motion

03:56:19

Intervenant 67 — Lord Leigh of Hurley responds and demands a division

04:07:33

Division on Lord Leigh of Hurley’s regret motion — agreed

04:08:31

Vote on main sanctions motion as amended — agreed

04:20:26

Representation of the People Bill — committee (day 2) (cont.)

04:21:55

Committee stage — general proceedings and clauses 7–15 and Schedule 1 (cont.)

04:21:55

Clause 15 — Registration and civic education for young people

04:21:55

Amendments 18, 19, 23, 24, 43, 44 and related — civic education, neutrality and maturity of young voters — withdrawn

04:21:55

Clause 15 stand part — agreed

05:49:10

Clause 16 stand part — agreed

05:49:25

Clause 17 — Voting rights of Commonwealth and other non‑UK citizens

05:49:34

Amendments 25–29, 288, 289, 299 and 300 (Lord Frost) — Commonwealth voting rights and reciprocity — probing amendments

05:49:34

Intervenant 136 — Support for ending non‑reciprocal Commonwealth franchise

06:04:25

The Lord Jackson of Peterborough — Defence of citizenship‑based franchise and reciprocity

06:10:14

Intervenant 138 — Brief endorsement of Lord Frost’s amendments

06:16:49

Intervenant 139 — Support for maintaining Irish rights while reforming Commonwealth franchise

06:16:53

Intervenant 34 — Wider context of Commonwealth and resident voting rights

06:17:24

Intervenant 129 — Support for careful, non‑hasty approach to changing Commonwealth franchise

06:19:34

The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage — Government defence of Commonwealth citizens' voting rights

06:21:54

Question from Intervenant 140 on 16‑year‑old Commonwealth voters and response

06:23:36

The Lord Frost of Tredegar — Closing remarks on Commonwealth franchise amendments

06:23:49

Amendments 32, 41 and 42 (Lord Blunkett and Baroness Lister) — Voting rights for peers and legally resident migrants

06:26:12

Amendments 32, 37, 41, 42, 44, 45, 277, 46, 53–57 — peers’ voting rights, foreign nationals, prisoners and safeguards on direct and automatic registration

06:30:29

After Clause 16

07:19:56

Amendments 34–39 (Lord Fuller) — social media access for young voters and political impartiality in schools — withdrawn

07:19:56

Amendment after Clause 16 (Lord Hayward) — impact assessment of costs for votes at 16 and automatic registration

08:02:27

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House of Lords

4 November 2026

Wed, 4 Nov 2026 Actual start 12:30 House of Lords

Follow its sittings

36:24 - 36:27

Speaker 1

First oral question, Baroness Wilcox of Newport.

36:27 - 36:34

Speaker 2

I beg leave to ask the question standing in my name on the order paper.

36:34 - 37:04

Speaker 3

My Lords, devolution allows Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to take different approaches which reflect particular circumstances while continuing to benefit from the pooling of resources, sharing of opportunities, and collective strength that come from being part of the United Kingdom. The integrity of the United Kingdom is best protected when our four governments work constructively and effectively together on shared challenges. That is what the Prime Minister is committed to, as he made clear to the heads of the devolved governments in the meeting of the National Economic Council last week.

37:04 - 37:26

Speaker 4

I thank the Minister for the reply. And does he agree with me that the true measure of successful devolution is not the accumulation of constitutional difference, but whether it delivers better outcomes for the people of Wales, while strengthening their place within the United Kingdom?

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