Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker what is the cost to the House of Lords Administration of a sitting Friday that rises at (1) 3.00pm, and (2) 6.00pm, including the costs of members' attendance claims and Administration staffing costs.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It is not possible to disaggregate allowances claimed by Members of the House of Lords for attendance captured within specific time periods. Average attendance for a sitting Friday in the 2024-26 Parliamentary Session to date is 264 Members, with an average cost in members’ allowances claims for those dates of £78,165.00.
I am advised of the specific costs relating to three areas of the House of Lords Administration—Security, Catering and Hansard—for both a sitting Friday that rises at the conventional 3pm time and, if relevant, a 6pm finish time are listed below. These costs have been identified as an additional expenditure, outside of any arrangements undertaken by other teams to adapt within their conditioned hours.
Security The additional cost for a sitting Friday as opposed to a non-sitting Friday is approximately £4,500 in police overtime costs, with no difference in cost for the House sitting beyond 3pm. Any remaining security costs are fixed.
Catering The approximate net cost of catering services on a sitting Friday estimated to rise at 3pm are approximately £2,530. This is to provide the additional catering services required, (that would normally be closed on a non-sitting Friday), namely; Peers Dining Room, Peers Guest Room and Peers Long Room.
For a sitting beyond 3pm, the cost of the House is approximately £450 to provide cover up until the rise of the House.
Hansard Hansard have included an extra Reporter, either freelance or part time, at a cost of about £215 per day for a sitting Friday beyond the conventional 3pm finishing time.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government with how many and which media organisations they have shared the report of the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition since December 2025.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are taking the time to carefully consider the independent Working Group’s advice on a definition for anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia before confirming next steps in due course.
As per the Working Group’s Terms of Reference, advice provided by the Group was private for Ministers. As part of the Government’s careful consideration of the Working Group’s advice, officials have undertaken some limited and focused informal engagement with stakeholders, which did not include any media organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the report of the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition, completed in autumn 2025.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are taking the time to carefully consider the independent Working Group’s advice on a definition for anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia before confirming next steps in due course.
As per the Working Group’s Terms of Reference, advice provided by the Group was private for Ministers. As part of the Government’s careful consideration of the Working Group’s advice, officials have undertaken some limited and focused informal engagement with stakeholders, which did not include any media organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times they have declined to lay before Parliament a draft statutory code submitted by an arm's-length body between January 2015 and December 2025, where that code has not been subject to litigation; and what were the titles of those draft statutory codes.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are waiting for any further regulatory information from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding the draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government when they received the most recent piece of required information from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding the draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates they received the past three Equality and Human Rights Commission draft statutory codes; and on what dates those codes were laid in Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government on which date they shared the updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, revised after the For Women Scotland Supreme Court judgement, with the (1) Scottish Government, and (2) Welsh Government, for consultation; and on what date they received replies from those governments.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they responded to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations after consultation with the Scottish and Welsh Governments; whether they responded on 30 June 2025; and if not, on which date they responded.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations was submitted to the Cabinet Office on 8 April 2025; and if not, on what date that draft was submitted.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have a 40 day period to consider the draft Code.
The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and consulted the Devolved Governments at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9). Consultation with Welsh and Scottish Ministers is required if, or in so far as, the Code relates to a duty imposed by or under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As part of the consultation, the draft Code has been shared with the Devolved Administrations.
We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.