House of Lords — sitting of 7 July 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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House of Lords

7 July 2026

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Contents updated on 7 Jul 2026

The House conducts oral questions to the Attorney General on use of force, international law and related issues, then to Ministers on cultural policy, procurement for SMEs under the Procurement Act and tech platforms’ responsibilities in online-enabled sexual violence.

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Oral questions — Attorney General, culture and online harms

36:53

Attorney General questions — use of force and international law

36:53

Opening of sitting and Attorney General oral question

36:53

Lord Speaker: announcement and opening of oral questions

36:53

Attorney General: past comments and support for veterans

38:46

Attorney General Q&A on use of force and accountability

40:46

Peers: US–Greenland scenario and AI-enabled warfare

40:46

Evolution of self-defence law and NATO legal coordination

42:44

Universal jurisdiction, genocide and accountability in Sudan

45:16

Diego Garcia base, ICJ advisory opinion and security

46:41

Oral questions — culture, procurement and online‑enabled sexual violence

47:44

Arts Council review, creative education and cultural access

47:44

Arts Council review: cross-government work on arts education and screen skills

47:44

Media and journalism funding cuts raised

49:57

Hodge review — government indemnity scheme and response

50:57

Arts and humanities education and AI labour market

52:01

School creative provision, philanthropy and access

54:23

Arts Council portfolio window and cultural freedom concerns

56:31

Public procurement — industrial strategy and SME access

58:43

Third oral question: public procurement and insourcing

58:43

Defence procurement, foreign ownership and resilience

01:01:11

Digital dependency, zero-emission buses and solar supply chains

01:03:32

Public procurement — UK shipbuilding and offshoring concerns

01:06:45

SME access to central government contracts

01:08:13

Drug‑facilitated sexual abuse — Online Safety Act and criminal justice response

01:09:41

Fourth oral question — tech platforms and drug‑facilitated sexual abuse

01:09:41

Online Safety Act, Ofcom powers and DFSA enforcement

01:12:18

Awareness, reporting barriers and Rochdale grooming gang case

01:14:13

Prison capacity, early release policy and public safety

01:15:45

Support services funding for DFSA and sexual violence victims

01:16:58

Clarifying early release stance and tackling misogynistic influencers

01:18:25

Forced adoption apology — government statement and scrutiny

01:20:49

Government apology statement and measures on forced adoption

01:20:49

Procedural close and move to forced adoption statement

01:20:49

Conclusion of oral questions and business motions

01:20:49

Historic forced adoption — Prime Minister’s apology

01:22:58

Government response — records, support and implementation

01:30:22

Policy commitments — records access, support and testimony

01:30:22

Lord Privy Seal — central records, support package and FamilyConnect

01:45:49

Lord Privy Seal — NHS trauma guidance, medical history markers and survivor‑led testimonials

01:49:25

Forced adoption apology follow‑up — redress, records and support

01:33:25

Opposition and third party scrutiny — mental health, redress and records

01:33:25

Opposition response — endorsement of apology and urgency for action

01:33:25

Opposition front bench — mental health pathway, redress and culture change

01:37:26

Third party response — support for apology, mental health funding and records system

01:41:04

Backbench Q&A — accountability, devolved coordination and records

01:52:07

Backbench Q&A — JCHR recommendations and Hillsborough Law

01:52:07

Devolved nations — Northern Ireland inquiry and UK coordination

01:55:54

Records retention — Movement for an Adoption Apology and 100‑year rule

01:59:04

Forced adoption legacy — support, stigma and rights

02:01:48

Church of England role, pastoral care and funding for specialist therapy

02:01:48

NHS responsibility and independent counselling provision

02:05:21

Historic stigma, liberalisation and rising misogyny

02:08:22

Forced adoption statement — stigma against single mothers

02:11:13

Second reading — Great British Railways model and governance

02:13:36

Minister and peers: Railways Bill second reading and GBR model

02:13:36

Opening of second reading and GBR framework

02:13:36

Procedural pause and introduction of Railways Bill

02:13:36

Railways Bill — creation of Great British Railways and passenger watchdog

02:14:39

Railways Bill — long‑term strategy, network access, devolution and freight

02:20:50

Peers’ scrutiny of GBR centralisation and governance

02:25:41

Conservative peer — criticism of GBR centralisation and loss of local accountability

02:25:41

Support for GBR integrated planning and limits on regulator role

02:31:40

Government benches — rationale and governance of Great British Railways

02:46:15

Government benches — case for integrated Great British Railways

02:46:15

Government supporter — GBR as structural fix to fragmentation

02:46:15

Government supporter — risks of monolith, devolution and ticketing reform

02:52:27

Peers — value for money, passenger rights and governance

02:54:43

Lord Redwood — value for money, private capital and open access

02:54:43

Opposition benches — GBR passenger rights and automatic compensation

03:02:42

Lord Grayling — critique of GBR model and focus on capacity

03:09:34

Lord Wilson of Dinton — valedictory speech and defence of the civil service model

03:18:04

Lord Parkinson — tribute to Lord Wilson and reflections on public service

03:26:22

Rail accessibility, safety and Welsh devolution

02:37:54

Disability rights obligations in the Railways Bill

02:37:54

Rail accessibility and disability rights in the Railways Bill

02:37:54

Baroness Grey‑Thompson — rail accessibility, disability rights and enforcement

02:37:54

Baroness Grey‑Thompson — operational failures and demand for legal deadlines

02:43:25

Rail safety, heritage railways and Welsh devolution

03:29:34

Heritage railways, Welsh devolution and rail safety

03:29:34

Lord Parkinson — heritage railways, GBR powers and safety board

03:29:34

Plaid Cymru peer — Welsh rail funding, devolution and safety

03:35:51

Passenger accessibility, staffing and Welsh rail funding

04:12:40

Baroness Brinton — disabled passengers, accessibility and staffing

04:12:40

Welsh peer — passenger experience, signalling upgrades and unfunded Wales plan

04:45:26

GBR market structure, governance and devolution

03:41:59

Peers — GBR market structure and competition

03:41:59

Peers — GBR structure, competition and investment

03:41:59

Peers — retail ticketing competition and GBR self‑preferencing risks

03:41:59

Tribute to Lord Wilson and critique of British Rail nationalisation

03:56:12

Lord Lansley — private capital, competition and ORR powers

04:04:16

Peers’ opening positions on privatisation and public ownership

04:22:11

Lord Young of Cookham — defence of rail privatisation model

04:22:11

Green Party peer — support for public ownership and climate‑led rail

04:30:04

GBR governance, devolution and private sector role

04:37:03

Case for GBR, freight strategy and Welsh devolution

04:37:03

Railways Bill — support for GBR and long‑term planning

04:37:03

Rail freight growth, Channel Tunnel underuse and bill principles

04:43:30

Passenger focus, accessibility and signalling modernisation

04:45:26

Wales — investment plan, under‑funding and devolution questions

04:48:58

Conservative peer — conditional support for GBR and private sector role

04:53:20

Former Transport Secretary — partial backing for GBR and defence of privatisation

04:53:20

Tests for the Railways Bill — passengers, subsidy and private capital

05:01:22

Railways Bill in House of Lords — structure and reforms

05:01:58

Railways Bill — freight, safety and passenger-focused reforms

05:01:58

Supporters and experts — net zero, freight, safety and market structure

05:01:58

Supporter of bill — net zero, freight electrification and passenger council

05:01:58

Workforce safety, HSE liaison and enforcement under GBR

05:04:16

Crossbench peer — GBR, local connectivity, property and skills

05:05:12

Rail freight advocate — open access, regulator powers and Network Rail

05:12:47

Passenger-focused reforms, targets and digital capacity

05:21:45

Green peer — passenger growth targets and northern rail performance

05:21:45

Passenger charter, fares reform and retail competition safeguards

05:26:20

Peer — AI revolution, passenger experience and digital rail freight

05:29:43

Peers’ debate on Great British Railways model

05:38:45

Backbench peers — GBR model, privatisation legacy and investment priorities

05:38:45

Labour peer — case for GBR and East West Rail timelines

05:38:45

Supporter of bill — celebrating rail heritage and leadership

05:47:07

Conservative peer — defence of privatisation and investment concerns

05:54:50

Lord Tunnicliffe — defence of GBR model and funding realism

06:03:33

Opposition peers — critique of GBR model and devolution

06:12:28

Liberal Democrat benches — passenger focus, accessibility and devolution powers

06:12:28

Lord Moylan — critique of GBR model, devolution and ORR powers

06:24:07

Minister — defence of GBR, powers and rail strategy

06:40:58

Minister’s closing speech — tribute and case for reform

06:40:58

Network access, open access paths, freight target and ticket retail

06:43:40

Accessibility duties, passenger growth incentives and Secretary of State powers

06:48:16

Long‑term strategy, private capital, funding certainty and passenger safety

06:52:44

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House of Lords

7 July 2026

Tue, 7 Jul 2026 Actual start 14:00 House of Lords

36:53 - 37:21

Speaker 2

My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, on the 7th of July. There will be an opportunity for the House to pay tribute to Lord Mackay in due course, but on behalf of the House, I extend our condolences to the noble and learned Lord's family and friends.

First oral question, Lord Bellingham.

37:21 - 37:37

Speaker 1

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the question standing in my name and thank you for pronouncing my name in the North London way.

37:37 - 38:35

Speaker 4

My Lords, can I start by just reflecting upon the sad news that the Lord Speaker has just imparted to the House. Lord Mackay, across all parties, was a hugely respected figure. He was a giant in the law, and I'm sure we all join in sending our condolences to his family. My Lords, national security is the first duty of government, and we are committed to protecting Britain alongside upholding international rule of law as part of a strong NATO alliance. I have met with many NATO ministerial colleagues as part of my role, including the former US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Attorney General of Canada Sean Fraser, the Minister of Justice in Spain Felix Bolanos, and the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Kravik.

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